Miscellaneous

Get Me to the Courthouse on Time

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Getting married in the morning? Check to see when the courthouse opens.

More couples are choosing courthouse weddings for economic reasons. In Jackson County, Oregon, the fee is just $25. The rotten economy has combined with deployment of locals in the military to make courthouse weddings the new white.

The Jackson County clerk has performed 220+ wedding ceremonies over the past year.

See Courthouse Commitments, Damian Mann, Mail Tribune (May 2, 2009).

Meanwhile, Hawkeyed friends of Dorothy are rushing to tie the knot. Caterers, florists, wedding planners, and surrogate bridezillas eagerly await the new business. See Iowans Eager to Cash in on Gay Weddings, Kilian Melloy, Edge (April 30, 2009).

So, is marriage -- any kind -- good for courts? From a public trust and confidence angle, it's great to get people into the courthouse for a happy event. People dislike court because of what it reminds them of -- divorce, an ugly probate battle, fighting for (or against) child support, or traffic tickets.

Weddings are a happy occasion, a good chance to promote goodwill between courts and communities, and they bring in a small fee. The fees are probably not enough to cover the actual time and talents of judges, magistrates, and court staff, but cashing in on the goodwill is priceless.

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on May 02, 2009 (boomark / email).