INSTRUCTIONS TO HAVE A MARRIAGE SOLEMNIZED
BY A JUDGE IN PETTIS COUNTY, MISSOURI
In order to get officially married in the state of Missouri, a couple must first obtain a marriage license from any recorder of deeds office in the state. Once the couple has a license, that license must then be solemnized within 30 days. Missouri law gives no instructions on what it means to solemnize a marriage. The statute does not require that anything specific thing be said or done. The specifics are left up to the person doing the solemnization.
Missouri’s marriage law says that a marriage license must be solemnized by either a minister of any church or a judge of any court; however, it does not say that these people must perform marriage solemnization ceremonies. Many judges in the state of Missouri choose not to perform marriage solemnization ceremonies. This puts some people who wish to be married in a difficult position.
In Pettis County and in several surrounding counties, Judge Paul Beard is the only judge who performs marriage solemnization ceremonies. Because of the large demand for services, Judge Beard is no longer able to do marriage ceremonies in person. Instead, if a couple does not have a church to provide this service, Judge Beard provides a method for that couple to have their marriage solemnized using a paperwork ceremony.
The process works like this:
Once a couple has a marriage license, then, within 30 days of obtaining the license (even the same day that they obtain the license if they wish), they can come to the courthouse any day that the courthouse is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to have the license solemnized.
There is no cost for this ceremony.
They must bring two adult witnesses with them.
If your marriage license is from a different county than Pettis, then the couple must also provide two stamped, addressed envelopes, one to the recorder of deed where the license was obtained and the other to the couple.
On the first floor of the Pettis County Courthouse on the north side of the lobby are offices of the Pettis County Court Clerk. A couple wanting to solemnize a marriage license will tell one of the court clerks of their intent. The clerk will give the couple a document called a Petition to Solemnize a Marriage. (A copy is attached.)
If the couple is willing to agree to the terms in that petition, the clerk will have the couple sign the petition, and then will have the couple’s witnesses sign the petition, the license, and the certificate.
The clerk will then take that paperwork and put it in Judge Beard’s workbox. The next time he is available, he will review the paperwork and if everything is in order, he will sign and the couple will be officially married.
The judge will then deliver the license to the recorder of deeds who issued it so that a certified copy can be issued to the couple.
This procedure is not available to minors or to incarcerated persons.
This procedure does not allow a couple to select a specific anniversary date but depends upon the availability of the judge. It is possible that the judge will not see the petition for a day or a week. If a couple has concerns that the marriage license may expire prior to it getting signed, the couple should make special arrangements with the judge by calling 660-826-5000 ext. 469.
I recognize that this procedure does not provide any of the traditional marriage protocols and may be disappointing for some; however, it is less disappointing than having no judges in Pettis County who will perform marriage solemnization ceremonies. Also, a couple is not precluded in anyway from have a follow up ceremony that contains every tradition and expectation that the couple desires to celebrate the beginning of their new family. So please make your after-ceremony amazing.
I appreciate the opportunity to serve you as one of your judges here in the 18th Circuit.
Paul Beard