Tying the Knot can be a tangle. By: Lynne Tuohy, Courant Staff 11/19/2006 NEW BRITAIN – Justices of the peace usually work in an atmosphere of joy and celebration, joining partners in marriage and civil unions amid a throng of well-wishers with champagne chilling in the background. But it can be harrowing work at times. Just ask Eleanor Tomaszewski of Middletown, a justice of the peace for 18 years. Over coffee before the second annual Conference for Connecticut Justices of the Peace got underway Saturday at Central Connecticut State University, Tomaszewski launched into an impromptu comedy routine of her experiences. […]
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MA Legislative Poll 2021
We are thrilled that Senator Anne Gobi is taking the lead and resubmitting the Resolve to Evaluate the One-Day Solemnizer Rule. In addition, she is also submitting two Bills that support JPs. Before doing this, she asked Massachusetts JPus members to weigh in. These are the poll results. 100% of the Massachusetts JPs who responded to our poll would like to have the fees they may charge increased. 93% of the JPs who responded to our poll would like the application fees for 1-Day Solemnizers increased. Comments provided by survey respondents, edited for clarity & length Thank you […]
Networking Opportunities
Always looking to build relationships between officiants, or strengthen collaboration with our partners, networking is an important aspect of JPus. Networking Between Officiants Providing opportunities for JPs, notaries and other officiants to get to know each other promotes growth – and learning! Naturally, this helps our members do better ceremonies. Therefore, when we are able we hold networking social events at various locations. Since COVID, we Zoom! These gatherings provide opportunities for personal and more intimate conversations. See our Zoom schedule and recordings of previous sessions. In-Person Before the pandemic, we got together in-person. We hope to resume these events […]
Changes to the Laws
Don’t be caught behind the times. Stay current on new laws that affect JPs and notaries. Connecticut Gender Neutral Terms on Marriage License Effective July 1, 2021, the terms Bride and Groom are no longer on Connecticut marriage licenses, replaced with Spouse 1 and Spouse 2. Read how JPus took action to make this validating change happen. Race Information Not Collected The marriage license application will no longer seek a couple’s race, effective July 1, 2021. Probate Judge Required for 16, 17 Year Olds to Marry Effective October 1, 2017, in addition to parental consent, anyone under the age of […]
NH 1599 – What Happened 2020
Updated July 13, 2020 When it comes to amateur officiants in New Hampshire, the Justice of the Peace Association fights diligently on behalf of our members.That is because logic and righteousness are on our side. We’ve done the research. We’ve explored alternatives. We’ve built allies. And we played by the rules. A Quick Summary In June 2019, the legislative session ended with an upset. The special marriage officiant bill died after the Senate President blocked it – based on the problems raised by JPus. While we were successful, we also knew that our work wasn’t done. The bill would be […]
State-by-State Group Gathering Guidelines
Updated May 6, 2021 Stay home orders are a moving target, depending on the coronavirus’ community spread. Governors are redefining guidelines and policies for gatherings in each state. To help keep track of what the rules are, we are listing them, organized by state, here. We also have an article about each state’s municipal offices, and what to do if you need a marriage license and the clerk’s office is closed. Please remember, the best way to show your love for your friends and family is to be safe and follow guidance. Remember: ★ Outdoors is safer than indoors ★ […]
Surprise Your Guests: Get Married!
After living together for 14 years, whenever we talked about getting married, the biggest obstacle was the wedding itself. My kids were teenagers, his were married with young children of their own. After all this time living like an old married couple, we were embarrassed to make a big deal of it. Yet we wanted our friends and family to be present. On the Friday before a planned party to celebrate his 60th birthday with all the kids and a few friends coming, I had a light bulb moment. Here was the perfect opportunity to have it both ways! (He […]
Weddings Don’t Have to be Expensive
While big expensive weddings remain popular, many couples confide that they just cannot afford a fancy affair. Thus I offer the following suggestions for having a beautiful and memorable occasion without all the cost. First, let’s talk about location. Banquet halls are lovely, but they often come with a steep price tag. For those who want to avoid that expense, options abound. Couples can save money by having their wedding at home. If that isn’t possible, perhaps a friend or relative might offer theirs. Or if the couple met while walking their dogs in a local park, they might want […]
The Patch VT: 9/16/2019
Marriage is a business The Justice of the Peace Association supports the most important small businesses involved in marriages – the people who make it legal. The professional membership organization is expanding to Vermont, and last week they were in Fairlee and White River Junction. “We are thrilled to be expanding to Vermont, so we can provide personalized services to the professional men and women serving engaged couples,” says managing member Loretta Jay. “A big thank you to the JPs who attended our open house in White River Junction. Read article here.
Bring back the real JPs!
Is the title “Justice of the Peace” destined to become a generic term for marriage officiant? Not so long ago, most states elected or appointed JPs whose primary duty was to perform marriages. Today many of those states have abolished that role and that official title. Justices of the Peace in Nevada, Texas, Florida and other southern and western states are primarily the lowest level of court justice for whom officiating at marriages is a subordinate (and happy) perk of the office. In some states, a law degree is a prerequisite; in others, not. The New England states are the […]
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