Justice of the Peace
Newsletter
NOVEMBER 2006
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In This
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CONNECTICUT JUSTICE OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE
$30 for www.jpUS.org members, $35 for non-members |
As wonderful a program as we had last year (and have planned for the
conference coming up THIS Saturday), JPs who attended last year's conference
will tell you that the best part of the day was meeting and talking with
other JPs. This year there will be even more opportunities to do
just that. Starting with a continental breakfast, you'll mingle with
colleagues at round tables during the morning program in the
Constitution Room in Memorial Hall. After lunch, everyone will take a
short walk across the green to the Student Center, where two consecutive breakout
sessions take place. This year, discussion groups will be smaller and
more intimate. Each group will have its own room and everyone who
wishes will have the opportunity to share their thoughts on the topic.
There will be books on wedding and civil union ceremonies for sale in
the Vendor area at the Student Center, as well as new designs in robes and
stoles and other merchandise especially for Justices of the Peace. All
this in addition to our great speakers: Susan Bysiewicz, Secretary of
the State of Connecticut, on The State of the Connecticut JP;
Harland Henry, Director of Community Outreach,
on JPs as a Small
Business; Elizabeth Frugale, Registrar of Vital Records, Dept. of
Public Health, with an Update on civil unions. A special
guest will be Hans Maurer, Fraud Prevention Manager from the
U.S. Department of State.
He has fascinating (and sometimes heartbreaking) stories about marriage
as a means to enter this country illegally. Be on your guard, marriage
officiants! We expect several Town Clerks to also attend the
Conference, with answers to your Frequently Asked Questions.
Breakout Session Topics: Civil Unions Workshop, JP Primer for Newbies, Marketing Your Services, A Year of Civil Unions, Cultural and Religious Traditions in Your Ceremony, Pricing Your Services.
Register Now and choose
your Breakout Sessions.
Online at
www.jpUS.org/conferenceregister.htm#form.
Or print and mail the form at the bottom of this newsletter.
Hurry!
Well, maybe not hundreds!
JP conference grows
By: Francine Maglione, Herald Staff 11/11/2006
New Britain Herald - New
Britain,CT,USA
One year after Connecticut legalized civil unions, justices of
the peace are more popular than ever.
On Nov. 18, hundreds of justices of the peace will converge on
Central Connecticut State University to attend the second annual
Justice of the Peace Conference. ...
READ MORE
In the News
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Gay Marriage Bans Again on the Ballot Two years ago, citizens of 11 states voted to ban gay couples from marrying. This November, voters in eight more states get to decide whether to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman. The states are: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennesse, Virginia and Wisconsin. Same Sex or Same Gender? Note that the news item above did not use the words "same sex," unlike most articles you will see about this topic (including right her in this newsletter). jpUS member Bettie Rivard-Darby strongly objects to the term "same sex," believing that it exacerbates negative feelings and leads to state initiatives harmful to gays. She advocates saying "same gender" instead of "same sex." Read her comments on the new JPs-R-US Discussion Forum > General JP Topics > Civil Unions and Same Sex Ceremonies and Barbara Jay's response. What do you think? Got a strong opinion? Let's hear from you -- on the Discussion Forum! Take an Instant Poll on the Discussion Forum If you're not ready to "talk" on the Discussion Forum, how about participating in a 3-question Instant Poll? We realize it might take awhile for JPs to become comfortable using the Forum, so this is an way to get your feet wet. No "discussion" necessary, just click your answers to three questions. You can compare your answers with everyone else's right away. This is how to take the poll. Go to www.jpUS.org and choose Discussion Forum from the menu. In the Welcome box, click on Register and fill out the simple form. Look for the verification email sent to your email address and follow the link. Now you're entitled to Start New Topics and Reply to existing ones. To take the poll, go to About the Forum > Your Opinion Please. When you've answered the three questions, you're initiated! Now add your comments to the same sex vs same gender discussion (see above). Or join one of the other conversations.
JPs Q and A
Q: What happens when a JP moves out of the town where s/he was appointed? Can s/he still perform ceremonies? A: We asked Elizabeth Frugale, CT's Registrar of Vital Records. She cites Connecticut General Statute, Section 9-186, Electoral Status of Municipal Officers and Justice of the Peace: "Each ...justice of the peace shall be an elector of the municipality in which he is elected, or ... nominated or appointed to office and if for any reason he ceases to be an elector thereof, he shall thereupon cease to hold office therein and such office shall be deemed vacant." She sums up: "As I understand it ....the JP is nominated or appointed for by the town in which they live....so if he/she moves out of that town....they forfeit their appointment as JP. If the individual is no longer a JP, he ceases the roles and responsibilities as JP." |
New Jersey Courts Grant Marriage Equality On Oct. 25, 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided Lewis v. Harris, a case challenging the constitutionality of denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The court ruled 7-0 that same-sex couples and their families have a constitutional right to the same benefits and protections as heterosexual married couples. The court gave the Legislature 180 days to adopt such legislation. Options for the legislature include amending state marriage laws to include gay couples (considered unlikely) or providing for civil unions, as do Connecticut and Vermont. New Jersey already has a domestic partner law that provides some protections to gay couples. MA Episcopal diocese to vote on halt to performing marriages BOSTON Sunday, October 8, 2006 The Associated Press The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is scheduled to vote later this month on a resolution to stop performing marriages. A group of Episcopal priests, who say the gay marriage debate has intensified concerns about acting as agents of the state by officiating at weddings, has proposed the idea. Read more
MA Judge rules that same-sex couples who live in Rhode Island
can get married in Massachusetts
Because Rhode Island law does not expressly prohibit gay marriage, Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Thomas E. Connolly ruled that Massachusetts town clerks may not deny a marriage license to gay couples from Rhode Island. The ruling followed a March Supreme Court ruling that upheld a 1913 Massachusetts law that forbids nonresidents from marrying there if their marriage would not be legal in their home state. Although RI does not prohibit gay marriage, the state is unlikely to recognize such marriages performed in MA. Rutland Vermont JP Write-ins Fail
By: Brent Curtis, Rutland Herald Staff 11/9/2006
More than 4,800 votes for Republican justice of the peace candidates were written in on the Rutland ballot Tuesday. But in the end, the Democratic candidates won by landslide margins. Republican candidates for the 15 justice of the peace positions in the city were left off the ballot because of an oversight in September when the party's leadership failed to hold a caucus to choose candidates. About half of the candidates were incumbents. READ MORE Share your experiences on any of these topics. Send to: newsletter@jpus.org |
CONNECTICUT JP CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM
I
will attend the JP Conference on Nov. 18, 2006. Enclosed is my check for $
______.
First
Name
Address __________________________Town/City ___________________ State _____ Zip_______
Phone
________________________
Email
____________________________________
Please indicate your preference for both Breakout Sessions.
Session A: 1:15 - 2:10: Mark your choice. A. Civil Unions Workshop
B. JP Primer for Newbies
D. Marketing Your Services
Session B: 2:15 - 3:10: Mark your choice. E. A Year of Civil Unions
F. Cultural and Religious Traditions in Your Ceremony
H. Pricing Your Services
Please mail with check to: Justice of the
Peace Association • 8 Webb Road • Westport CT 06880
For
further information: 203-226-1710 or Email: conference@jpUS.org
Directions to CCSU are at http://jpus.org/conferencedirections.htm and will be emailed upon confirmation.
Please let us know if you prefer not to receive this Newsletter
and we'll take you off the list. Also let us know if you are receiving more than one . We welcome your feedback and appreciate news or features of interest to JPs. Please send your suggestions, comments and submissions to newsletter@jpus.orgSaul Haffner saulhaffner@jpus.org