In October 2014, we got married in a Self-Uniting ceremony that left some of our guests wondering if this was even legal.
For this reason, when I wrote our anniversary we decided to take a master of anniversary who will explain to our guests what our anniversary was well-nigh.
This helped foreclose Cocky-Uniting matrimony license legal problems if you are not enlightened of your rights.
Many of yous had questions about how we obtained this type of marriage license in Pennsylvania and in a canton that doesn't fifty-fifty offer it for that matter.
I wanted to explain what we did in gild to obtain it in case a self-uniting marriage license is what you and your fiance want.
Many Pennsylvania residents who obtain this blazon of license find out you lot tin can not obtain it in every county in Pennsylvania.
They go to counties that offering them without giving them a hard time. Depending who is running your local Register of Volition office, they will not grant this license to you.
Every bit a reminder to those not familiar with this item license, here's a cursory summary of what information technology is according to Wikipedia.
"A self-uniting union is one in which the couple are married without the presence of a 3rd-party officiant. Although non-denominational, this method of getting married is sometimes referred to as a "Quaker Wedlock."
Meaning you don't need a judge, priest, etc to initiate your marriage. Exchanging vows to one another and having you, your partner, plus ii witnesses' signatures are all that is required on your marriage license.
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How To Avert Self-Uniting Marriage License Legal Problems
As mentioned earlier, we are not members of a church, nor are we very religious; this particular ceremony was what we wanted to practise. Pennsylvania honors this union thanks to its Quaker origins.
A 2007 Federal approximate ruling that allows Pennsylvania couples a self-uniting union without showing proof of membership with a Quaker or Bahai religion.
Self Uniting marriage license Legal Problems are non always your fault!
This type of license can be granted without beingness asked what faith you are. However, tons of counties in Pennsylvania do.
Unfortunately, a lot of these county clerks are non aware of this information when they ask your religious groundwork and deny this license to people.
Some of these county clerks could be downright nasty and assume you don't know what you are talking well-nigh.
Pennsylvania has this type of marriage license bachelor for everyone that wants it. Information technology is not illegal, and you lot should never feel or be treated similar it is.
Do not let anyone tell you otherwise or make you experience like you are doing something wrong. Practice not let anyone tell yous otherwise or try to convince you that granting y'all a self-uniting marriage will non happen in their office.
How To Obtain A Cocky-Uniting Matrimony License When Y'all Have Been Rejected
Here are some steps to take if you lot want to obtain a self-uniting matrimony license in your county's Register Of Will and have been denied due to religious reasons.
Do your research online
Search your county Register of Wills role and run across if cocky-uniting license is fifty-fifty mentioned on their site. This will give you an indication of how obtaining this license volition get.
Counties that do not mention this particular license likely means they will give you a hard time to obtain it, or just won't grant them.
Inquiry about self-uniting licenses in Pennsylvania and everything you need to know nearly them.
Start to utilize early, as presently every bit you lot legally can for your wedding license
The Pennsylvania law states that a wedlock license is good for 60 days after obtaining it.
By doing this, if you lot are going to deal with a Register of Wills office that is going to deny you this license and you lot want to fight it, it volition give you time to evaluate your legal steps.
Not every county offers this type of license. I was lucky that the county next to the states did and I was prepared to caput that style to obtain my license if my county gave me a difficult time about it. I was not willing to compromise my wedding appointment any over this.
Make the phone call to your local register of will office to find information about self-uniting marriage licenses
This is what I did offset before anything else. Depending on the county, a self-uniting marriage license fees vary per county. Philadelphia charges $ninety for this particular license.
Every county in PA charges unlike fees for matrimony licenses. Some offices only accept cash only, and others accept credit cards. So please call earlier you caput to become your wedlock license to avoid these problems.
Also, by calling or heading to their office early, you lot will find out exactly how this is going to turn out.
This is how I constitute out that I was dealing with clerks that did not know about the legality of request near religious backgrounds. This particular clerk said I wasn't a Quaker anyway (I accept a Spanish accent) and when I informed her that asking me this was not even legal, she transferred me to another person.
After a few minutes on hold, this other person wanted to know how I knew it was illegal to ask about my religious background and where I plant this information. And then you see, not every county'south function are aware of legal changes, as dumb as it may sounds, it'southward true.
If the county clerk rejects giving a self-uniting license out, just inquire why they don't requite them out and hear their response.
E'er be polite when speaking to a clerk, no demand to be rude almost it. As stated earlier, counties are non well educated almost this blazon of license or that it is illegal to enquire your religious groundwork.
Some offices will ask for your name and phone number to call you back. Do not go overboard with information, y'all don't accept to explicate to them why you want a self-united marriage license.
Information technology's none of their business, not beingness rude, merely a fact. Do they enquire people applying for a wedlock license why they want information technology?
This is what happened to me days afterward beginning calling the role, I received a phone call where I was basically told it wasn't going to happen considering this license didn't exist in PA.
That due to this person'south personal opinion a self-uniting marriage license volition not, ever, exist granted to me.
Aye, I was told that. I was given a difficult fourth dimension about my determination to obtain a self-united license.
I was even told that what I was looking for was a Commonwealth Marriage and that doesn't exist anymore.
This person told me that people had tried to fight his personal decisions before, and all have failed. And then fighting his personal conclusion was not going to get me anywhere.
I was made to feel similar I was uneducated, dumb, and doing something illegal during this phone conversation. I was very calm and polite during this conversation.
Though I really wanted to tell this detail person exactly how I felt. Arguing with someone that doesn't know all the information is non going to become you anywhere.
By the tone of this particular person's voice and arrogant attitude, I knew it wasn't worth arguing.
Was I angry? Heck aye!!
I was treated badly by this particular individual. Earlier I received this phone call, my plans were to get to the adjacent county and obtained my license at that place.
BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'Due south PERSONAL Stance A Marriage LICENSE Can Not BE GRANTED?
After this telephone phone call, it was clear to me that I needed to report this. I wasn't granted my marriage license because of this person'south "personal opinion" virtually cocky-uniting licenses.
I couldn't let this go. I knew I wasn't the simply 1 that had been treated like this from this item person.
Fifty-fifty if they would accept said something similar 'No, Deplorable; we just don't give them out' BS would have been more acceptable.
Merely to tell me that due to personal opinions from the person in charge of the part, a license that the state of Pennsylvania offers to couples that want to get married in the country will non be granted infuriated me to no stop!
So I made a few phone calls and sent a few emails to see what was my next step. Even if I obtained my union license in some other county, I wanted to make sure that this never happened again to anyone trying to obtain a license in my county.
Steps to obtain a self-uniting spousal relationship when rejected.
Hither's what you need to do. Telephone call ACLU immediately at one-877-744-2258 if you were denied due to religious groundwork. This is the Pittsburgh area part and very helpful about helping you obtain a self-uniting license.
They will contact you via phone in about 2 weeks. Be prepared to give them a few minutes to answer their questions. Be honest and listen to them, they are very helpful and knowledgeable.
Y'all can also call or e-mail The Pennsylvania Man Relations Section almost your feel as well. This detail part takes a scrap longer to reply and will mail service you a letter when they read your email.
They have helped many others to obtain their self-united license equally well. My suggestion is to call or e-mail them with your questions beginning since they have a bit longer to respond. Also, know that getting your case reviewed will take forever!
In my case, ACLU from Pittsburgh took intendance of my result with a simple phone telephone call to this particular office.
I was informed I could get my cocky-uniting license in Berks county via electronic mail. We did with no trouble whatsoever.
Seriously, I spoke to Rose twice, once to hear my case and a second fourth dimension to inform me a programme of action. Information technology only took 1 phone call to the office, that was it.
Here are some legal tips near why counties give a hard time from what I take learned:
Too non being updated about current legal rights, using this particular license, the way it was NOT intended, will go you in problem.
Your friend can't marry yous. Please, if yous become and say that, you are violating PA matrimony constabulary.
If your friend is not legally able to marry you, he can't marry y'all. Maxim you lot want a self-uniting wedlock license because you want your friend, mom, or kids to marry yous is Non going to get your self-uniting license.
This is a question ACLU asks because information technology is important that you know what a self-uniting marriage license is for.
Many people walk into these offices maxim that they want their friends, etc, to marry them, and the just style they can is by getting a self-uniting license.
Saying this to your local annals of wills office gives them the correct to deny you the license.
Before you starting time the process, you need to inform the clerk that you are applying for a self-uniting spousal relationship license.
The reason is that information technology's a different style of license they must impress. The license price united states the aforementioned as information technology would a regular matrimony license in Berks County, $55.00.
This is how we were able to obtain our Cocky Uniting marriage license in Berks County after a few phone calls.
Do not permit anyone intimidate y'all or tell you otherwise. This is a type of union license that is bachelor to us in this state and no 1 should tell you otherwise.
It's not nearly what kind of organized religion, sexual background, race, etc; it'due south nigh a license that is honored and legal in Pennsylvania and because people are not educated, many people are turned away.
If yous have whatsoever questions, delight feel gratuitous to email me or go out a comment.
A special thanks to Femme from Femme Frugality for your support!
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Latina mom of 4 married to wonderful Greek gentleman. Living in southeast PA and trying to juggle family and a household while trying to earn an income from home. Follow my stay at dwelling house journey equally I discover how to earn coin and relieve money so we can continue to live debt-complimentary.
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