Previous Issues: Spring 2004    Winter 2003    Fall 2003   Summer 2003

Justice of the Peace Associations
Newsletter

   Summer 2004

In This Issue:

Gay Marriage Update:
     An Ultimatum to MA JPs
     A Defense
     One JP's view
      In Connecticut

Q and A 
    Seeking a CT co-officiant
    Seeking a MA JP
    How many CT JPs
    Average cost to wed

Memorable Moment

CT and VT JPs:
Renew Now

The Rules in MA and NH

Special Offer on
Wedding Certificates

Gay marriage continues to be a hot topic this week as President Bush (and some Republicans) escalates his support for a constitutional amendment banning such unions. Democratic candidates Kerry and Edwards oppose an amendment, saying the decision should be reserved to the States. This Newsletter brings you up-to-date with what's going on in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
    JP Naomi Cherny, reporting on an April meeting of the MJPA (Massachusetts Justice of the Peace Association) on the topic of JPs’ obligations under the new law authorizing gay marriages, concluded: "It is going to be a very difficult time for those who have religious or other objections.”  The two speakers žu representing the Attorney General and the state anti-discrimination office žu "were both quite definite," Naomi wrote.  "Under the new law, justices will have no choice but to uphold it. Those who do not want to perform same sex ceremon! ies should resign."        
    How right she was! JP Linda Gray Kelley, did indeed resign her commission following that meeting. In her email to us, she said, “If we don't take a same-sex wedding because we are busy that day, we'd better really be busy because militants will be watching our front door, looking  for a lawsuit.
     “What haunted me most is when we were told that we didn’t have a choice. We were being ORDERED to perform these marriages.  Wait a minute, I thought.  We ALWAYS have a choice!  God gave us free will.  And it was clear to me that I had to resign from my job that I loved; one that I excelled at, because of what would be required of me." Read Linda's resignation letter here.
In Defense of Gay Marriage. A very different perspective comes from JP Rosaria Salerno. In an email to us, she writes: “For Roman Catholics who say they cannot go against their religion or the Church I remind us that we perform civil marriages, WHICH THE CHURCH DOES NOT RECOGNIZE.  We've been doing it since we took the oath at the onset of our commissions.  How is what is before us any different with respect to the Church stance? We haven't let it interfere with the civil marriages we have been performing for years.” 
     Her letter concludes: "I believe that if we are going to refuse to solemnize the marriages of gay couples that we should not solemnize any marriages, period. I don't believe we have the right to interpret the law as we see fit.  I respect each person’s conclusion about gay marriage but I do not approve of selective application of the law.” Read Rosaria's letter here.
Gay Weddings: One JP's View. Hundreds of gay weddings have been performed in Massachusetts in the two months since the law went into effect. Here is one JP’s observation: "I have had the wonderful privilege of solemnizing numerous same sex marriages. I have been deeply moved by the couples. They have been together for decades already when they come to be married and, even so....or maybe because of the "delay" they've experienced, they are totally taken up in the moment.  There are copious tears in some cases. They are so very appreciative of this new possibility for them. Most of the couples I have married have been together for anywhere from seven to thirty years žu long, faithful relationships. They really are grateful for the welcome they find when they come to my office to be married.”  Read the complete statement here.
The Implications for Connecticut
   Seeking a CT JP.  I am a member of findajp.com.  I am hoping you may be able to assist me in contacting a Justice of the Peace to co-officiate a ceremony on Sunday, May 29, 2005 in Avon CT.    I would be interested in working with someone who is truly committed to the couple and desires to be in their ceremony.  Marianne Kornblum, Justice of the Peace Westfield MA   413-568-5851 IDoWeddingsMA@msn.com
    Seeking a MA JP.  A correspondent is seeking a JP who "is either deaf or knows sign language" for a wedding in the Metro South area of Massachusetts. We didn't get the date. For further info, please contact Debbie directly at nana_T_4ever@webtv.net.
    Q: I would be interested in knowing how many JP's there are in Connecticut and how is it determined how many can be in each Town.  I know that many of these JP's do not perform weddings.  Kathy Taylor, CT
    A:  The total number of Justices for each town is equal to one-third the number of jurors allotted to each town by statute.  By ordinance, charter or special act, a town may provide for the selection of a lesser number of justices of the peace, which shall not be less than fifteen.  For further information please see Section 9-183, Connecticut General Statutes. Pearl Williams, Elections Officer, State of CT
    Q: What is the average cost to get married by a Justice of the peace? And are wedding rings included with the marriage? [received from a couple writing to findaJP.com]
    Our Answer: JPs charge different fees. Some charge nothing but may ask for a donation to a charity, others may charge $250 or even more. I've never heard of JPs providing wedding rings. But they'll certainly include them in the ceremony if you want. You should call some JPs and talk to them about their service, including fees.
 Memorable Moments
A late response to our Spring Survey was received from Karen M. Salwocki,
jpUS.org Goes Google.
You may have noticed something new on jpUS.org and findaJP.com. We recently entered into an agreement with search engine GOOGLE to display links to related services on some of the web pages. We hope that you and your clients will find them useful. The links change from time to time. We’ll monitor them and welcome your feedback on their usefulness. If you do click on a link, we hope you’ll hit the BACK button on your browser and return to our website!
who would like to see Memorable Moments as an ongoing feature. Her contribution: “I performed a wedding in the home of a couple who had been di! vorced in the past. They fought through the whole ceremony! After I submitted the license to town hall, they called to see if they could stop it. They wanted out again. I should have known this was not a union made in heaven.”
Connecticut and Vermont JPs -- Renew Now!
This is renewal time for JPs in Connecticut and Vermont where the term of office coincides with political elections. In CT, JPs are appointed for 4-year terms coinciding with the presidential election. In VT, JPs must renew every two years.  Both states allocate office-holders to Republican and Democratic parties as well as to unaffiliated voters on the basis of town population. But there are significant differences as well.
    In CT, the major parties have already submitted their JP nominations to the Town Clerks (TCs).  (If you haven’t been notified, check with your party leader or TC.) If you are already an independent JP, your license may be renewed automatically by the TC. Unaffiliated or minor party voters who wish to become JPs must notify their TC between August 1 and November 1. Call your TC for your town's application. And that’s the end of the process until inauguration in early January.
   !   In VT, JP nominees are selected at political party caucuses held on or before the first Tuesday in September. For independents, petition and consent forms must be filed with the town clerk not more than sixty days before the day of the general election and not later the forty-seventh day before the day of the general election. And then the electorate votes for their JPs! 
    Our Vermont member JP, Mary Riley, tells us:  “It is certainly not an automatic re-election because Republicans and Democrats both try to submit a slate of candidates to fill all the slots. As an independent (there are three of us in my town) we must have a petition signed by 30 town voters and then submit our names to be put on the ballot, so for 12 openings, it is possible to have 24-27 candidates."
Unlike CT and VT, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have a rolling JP process and term. In MA, licenses are issued throughout the year for a seven-year period. Each city/town is allowed one justice for every 5000 residents. In NH, the term is five years.