Rhode Island General Laws 15-3-5. Officials empowered to join persons in marriage
Every ordained clergy or elder in good standing; every justice of the supreme court, superior court, family court, workers’ compensation court, district court or traffic tribunal; the clerk of the supreme court; every clerk, administrative clerk, general chief clerk, or administrator of the supreme court, superior court, family court, district court, or traffic tribunal; magistrates, special or general magistrates of the superior court, family court, traffic tribunal or district court; administrative clerks of the district court; administrators of the workers’ compensation court; every former justice or judge and former administrator of these courts; every former chief clerk of the district court; every former clerk, administrative clerk, or general chief clerk of a superior court; the secretary of the senate; elected clerks of the general assembly; any former secretary of the senate; any former elected clerk of the general assembly who retires after July 1, 2007; judges of the United States appointed pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution; bankruptcy judges appointed pursuant to Article I of the United States Constitution; and United States magistrate judges appointed pursuant to federal law, may join persons in marriage in any city or town in this state; and every justice and every former justice of the municipal courts of the cities and towns in this state and of the police court of the town of Johnston and the administrator of the Johnston municipal court, while he or she is serving as an administrator, and every probate judge and every former probate judge may join persons in marriage in any city or town in this state, and wardens of the town of New Shoreham may join persons in marriage in New Shoreham. In addition to the foregoing, the governor shall designate, upon application, any person eighteen (18) years or older to solemnize a particular marriage on a particular date and in a particular city or town, and may for cause at any time revoke such designation. In the case of persons so designated by the governor, the secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this section. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate of designation upon payment of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for applications delivered by mail, facsimile, or hand. All applications submitted electronically shall pay a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00). Upon payment, a certificate of designation shall be issued within twenty-one (21) days. The certificate shall expire upon completion of the solemnization. The fees collected under this section shall be deposited into the general fund.
History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 191, § 8; C.P.A. 1905, § 1228; G.L. 1909, ch. 243, § 8; P.L. 1922, ch. 2207, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 287, § 8; P.L. 1932, ch. 1896, § 1; P.L. 1933, ch. 2042, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 415, § 8; P.L. 1949, ch. 2290, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 15-3-5; P.L. 1974, ch. 290, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 326, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 327, § 1; P.L. 1980, ch. 382, § 1; P.L. 1981, ch. 363, § 2; P.L. 1987, ch. 489, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 561, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 607, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 139, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 163, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 132, § 5; P.L. 1991, ch. 205, § 4; P.L. 1994, ch. 103, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 199, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 249, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 451, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 70, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 123, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 6, § 42; P.L. 2004, ch. 444, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 174, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 259, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 85, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 89, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 321, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 351, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 484, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 512, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 84, § 1, effective January 1, 2022; P.L. 2021, ch. 85, § 1, effective January 1, 2022; P.L. 2021, ch. 86, § 1, effective June 25, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 87, § 1, effective June 25, 2021.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 15-3-5
- Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
- Magistrate judges: Judicial officers who assist U.S. district judges in getting cases ready for trial, who may decide some criminal and civil trials when both parties agree to have the case heard by a magistrate judge instead of a judge.
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
- Probate: Proving a will
- town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
- United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8