Steps Of Becoming A Justice Of The Peace MA

By Jessica Brown


This is ideally an officer that takes the role of performing marriages, signing affidavits and hearing oaths that are made. Hence, the main role of this officer is to oversee marriages. All legal marriages are thus conducted by this government official. These professionals are usually elected in most states. In Massachusetts, this official is appointed or nominated by the governor. Hence, if you aspire to become a JP, it is wise to know the requirements of your state. Below are the steps that you can follow if you would like to become a Justice of The Peace MA officer.

To begin with, it is imperative to understand that these officials are appointed and commissioned by the current governor. Thus, it is the governor that appoints and commissions these officials. The major roles of these professionals are different in all states. For instance, some states do not have any provisions for these officials. The roles that are carried by the JPs are thus distributed to the other officials.

To be a JP, it is not a requirement that you have a degree. If you do not have a degree, you must have law-related training. In case you have a degree in criminal justice, legal studies, American history or political science, you will be better placed for the job. For people without degrees, having law-related training is mandatory if they want to become JPs. Once the JP has been successfully appointed, the official is licensed or commissioned by the appropriate authority.

Therefore, unlike most local and statutory judges, JPs do not need to be degree holders in law. This training can however be beneficial and is mandatory in most states. There are thus no formal education requirements for people who want to become JPs. Nevertheless, those with formal education find an easy time looking for jobs.

Once you have been approved to apply for the post, you can go ahead and seek for election in the appropriate offices through the right procedure. These officials are appointed depending on the governing body. This means that the applicants have to be nominated or appointed by the main governing body. Therefore, it is wise to know the main procedures that are followed in your state.

In other states like MA, the JP should be appointed or elected to office by the governor. Thus, the aspirants have to apply for the position for them to b appointed. There is an application form that should be filled. The form is obtained from the state secretary or governors office. The applicant thus has to go and request to be given the form.

The main things that the form needs are the general information about the applicant like gender, age, residence, etc. Also, the applicant should fill their criminal record. There are states that require prominent people in the community to sign and recommend the applicant while other states do not have this requirement.

Once the candidate has been elected, the last step is filing an oath of office. In most cases, the JP appointee has to appear at a scheduled time and place to take the oath of office. In some states, the appointee can take and file an oath of office at the designated office within the specified days.




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