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Some Justice of the Peace duties are a joy!

Duties of your

Connecticut Justice of the Peace
Ernest Adams
(860) 543-2334

Celebrating Your Day Your Way!

Connecticut Justices of the Peace are appointed in each of the 169 cities and towns of Connecticut. A Connecticut Justice of the Peace may perform weddings, civil unions, and other acts anywhere within Connecticut. (Marrying people is a joy-fill Justice of the Peace duty for me!) Not all Justices of the Peace are willing to travel. Being a Mobile Justice of the Peace, I am happy to go where I'm needed, whether you want to get married in the Elizabeth Park Rose Garden in Hartford or have your handfasting at Mystic Seaport, or have your wedding at home!

The following two paragraphs are taken directly from the Connecticut Justice of the Peace Manual (WWW.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/misc/jp_manual.pdf). (The Justice of the Peace Manual is sometimes called the Justice of the Peace Handbook.)

"The office of Justice of the Peace originated in England and was brought to this country by the early colonists. The office existed in Connecticut in some form from the beginning of the colony.

"At one time when this State had a multi-tiered Court system with substantial judicial business being conducted by municipal and city Court judges, the elected Justice of the Peace had substantial authority with respect to the administration of minor Courts in this State. Over the years the scope of authority of this official has been narrowed so that in 1988 the role of the Justice of the Peace was limited to certain grants of authority enumerated by statute. Justices of the Peace have general oath giving powers (Conn. Gen. Stat. [section mark] 1-24), may take acknowledgments (Conn. Gen. Stat. [section mark] 1-29), may join persons in marriage (Conn. Gen. Stat. [section mark] 46b-22), and may take depositions (Conn. Gen. Stat. [section mark] 52-148c). There are also many statutory grants of power regarding specific documents...."

In general, these days Justices of the Peace in Connecticut are considered Wedding Officiants and administer oaths. Please see the Disclaimer if you are looking for legal advice.

Some Connecticut Justices of the Peace appear to be reluctant to marry same-sex couples. I am happy to join any loving couple in marriage. That is why there is a Gay Wedding Questions Page in addition to the general Wedding Questions Page. You are always welcome to call me at (860) 543-2334 with your questions!

The Manual also states

"Both Justices of the Peace and Notaries Public are given general oath giving powers under Conn. Gen. Stat. [section mark] 1-24. However a Justice of the Peace does not have a seal. If a document requiring an affidavit requires a seal, the Justice of the Peace would be advised not to take the affidavit in this instance. In addition, some other jurisdictions may not recognize an affidavit taken by a Justice of the Peace. Therefore, in this, as in other matters where a legal question arises, the Justice of the Peace should consult an attorney."

Because I am also a Connecticut Mobile Notary Public (WWW.NutmegMobileNotary.Com), I can notarize your signatures on affidavits (and other documents) and use my Notary Public seal. Even though Connecticut does not require Notaries Public to use an embossing seal, it has been my experience that most people expect to see an embossed seal on a notarized document. Having your signature notarized by a Notary Public (as opposed to having a Justice of the Peace take your affidavit) also is likely to avoid any issues you might have outside of Connecticut. As with any legal matter, please see the Disclaimer if you are looking for legal advice.

If you have questions about the duties and responsibilities of Connecticut Justices of the Peace please feel free to call me at (860) 543-2334! Please visit the Connecticut Secretary of State's Web Site (WWW.sots.ct.gov/sots/site/) to download the Justice of the Peace Manual (WWW.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/misc/jp_manual.pdf) if you prefer.

Disclaimer

Please note that I am not an attorney. I am a Connecticut Justice of the Peace and Connecticut Notary Public. I cannot give legal advice. The information given here was derived from information publicly available, especially the Connecticut Justice of the Peace Manual cited above. You are encouraged to do your own research. Please check with your Town Clerk or Town Attorney's Office; they will help you if they can. Otherwise, you must consult an attorney authorized to practice law in Connecticut.

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