Justice
of the Peace
Newsletter
Vol. 7
Issue 4
JULY 2009
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In This
Issue: |
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New Judicial Robes and Lower Prices!
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| www.findaJP.com Branches out to Kentucky
Our eighth state! (Slowly but surely.) The new jpUS member (and new JP) is Jim Gruenke, who explains: "At one time my county was under magistrate rule. Some time ago that was changed to commissioners. But they couldn't take the JP off the ballot because it was established by the state constitution. No one has ever run for it before me! When I filed, it was too late to get my name on the ballot so I was a write-in candidate. I got ten votes and was elected Justice of the Peace." Jim has been married to Paulette for 34 years and has three grown children (Shannon, Joshua and Sarah). After almost 28 years in the Army, he took a position at a local power plant and now supervises Materials Management for two power plants. He is happiest at the May's Lick Baptist Church where he is a deacon. His first wedding, on July 11, went "real well." He's hooked. Marrying the Military Many JPs wrote to say that they marry active military for free or at a steep discount, including Anne Balogh, Hamden, CT; Jane Rokes, Keene, NH; Claire Watts, Wellfleet, MA; Geraldine Munroe, Wethersfield CT; Rosaria Salerno, Boston; MyraAnne Healey, Weare, NH; Diane MacLeod, Windham NH; Marie Killackey, Cambridge MA; Mimi Malkin, Newtown CT; Karen M Salwocki, Berlin, CT; Jodi Paris Anastos , Salem MA. Some comments:
If you are a jpUS member, let us know if you wish to add "Pro bono weddings for active military" (or similar) to your listing. But Florance Azzariti, Natick, MA warns: "Sometimes it feels like you are being taken advantage of because they saw it on your website and can't get [a closer] JP to do it for free. At least I feel like I'm doing something to help these young families." JPs In the News Albert Sherman, Brookline MA JP and Vice Chancellor for University Relations at UMass Medical School, has been honored with a major new building complex named for him. The Albert Sherman Center will be an "interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research and education facility that will foster interaction and collaboration among scientists and promote innovation and synergies across disciplines." It will be built in Worcester and is scheduled to open in 2012. Congratulations, Albie. When you Move, do you take your JP Hat with you? Last month CT JPs bemoaned the fact that they must give up their JP position when moving to another town. If you're a Dem or Republican, you must establish your bona fides with the party in your new town to be appointed. In CT, one-third of the JP slots go to unaffiliated or minor party voters. If that's you, you can be appointed by the Town Clerk -- but only between August 1 and November 1 of the presidential election year. After Nov. 1, even if slots were not filled, there are "no vacancies." What about JPs in other states, especially where you are appointed by the governor or other state official? The Onward March of Marriage Equality A law recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries went into effect on July 7 in Washington D.C. The law grants to same-sex couples married elsewhere the same benefits that heterosexual couples receive under D.C. law. Congress had 30 days to negate the bill approved by the D.C. Council in May -- and did not do so. Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2004, sued the U.S. government earlier this month, arguing that the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman forces the state to treat same-sex married couples differently from heterosexual married couples. The former are denied access to federal income tax credits, employment and retirement benefits, health insurance coverage and Social Security payments. Also, different rules apply when determining eligibility for Medicaid benefits and whether the spouse of a veteran can be buried in a Massachusetts veterans' cemetery. JPs with Blogs (that we know about)
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