2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 15 - Marriage Ceremony
1503 - Persons qualified to solemnize marriages.

     § 1503.  Persons qualified to solemnize marriages.
        (a)  General rule.--The following are authorized to solemnize
     marriages between persons that produce a marriage license issued
     under this part:
            (1)  A justice, judge or magisterial district judge of
        this Commonwealth.
            (2)  A former or retired justice, judge or magisterial
        district judge of this Commonwealth who is serving as a
        senior judge or senior magisterial district judge as provided
        or prescribed by law; or not serving as a senior judge or
        senior magisterial district judge but meets the following
        criteria:
                (i)  has served as a magisterial district judge,
            judge or justice, whether or not continuously or on the
            same court, by election or appointment for an aggregate
            period equaling a full term of office;
                (ii)  has not been defeated for reelection or
            retention;
                (iii)  has not been convicted of, pleaded nolo
            contendere to or agreed to an Accelerated Rehabilitative
            Disposition or other probation without verdict program
            relative to any misdemeanor or felony offense under the
            laws of this Commonwealth or an equivalent offense under
            the laws of the United States or one of its territories
            or possessions, another state, the District of Columbia,
            the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a foreign nation;
                (iv)  has not resigned a judicial commission to avoid
            having charges filed or to avoid prosecution by Federal,
            State or local law enforcement agencies or by the
            Judicial Conduct Board;
                (v)  has not been removed from office by the Court of
            Judicial Discipline; and
                (vi)  is a resident of this Commonwealth.
            (3)  An active or senior judge or full-time magistrate of
        the District Courts of the United States for the Eastern,
        Middle or Western District of Pennsylvania.
            (3.1)  An active, retired or senior bankruptcy judge of
        the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern, Middle
        or Western District of Pennsylvania who is a resident of this
        Commonwealth.
            (4)  An active, retired or senior judge of the United
        States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit who is a
        resident of this Commonwealth.
            (5)  A mayor of any city or borough of this Commonwealth.
            (5.1)  A former mayor of a city or borough of this
        Commonwealth who:
                (i)  has not been defeated for reelection;
                (ii)  has not been convicted of, pleaded nolo
            contendere to or agreed to an Accelerated Rehabilitative
            Disposition or other probation without verdict program
            relative to a misdemeanor or felony offense under the
            laws of this Commonwealth or an equivalent offense under
            the laws of the United States or any one of its
            possessions, another state, the District of Columbia, the
            Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a foreign nation;
                (iii)  has not resigned the position of mayor to
            avoid having charges filed or to avoid prosecution by
            Federal, State or local law enforcement agencies;
                (iv)  has served as a mayor, whether continuously or
            not, by election for an aggregate of a full term in
            office; and
                (v)  is a resident of this Commonwealth.
            (6)  A minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly
        established church or congregation.
        (b)  Religious organizations.--Every religious society,
     religious institution or religious organization in this
     Commonwealth may join persons together in marriage when at least
     one of the persons is a member of the society, institution or
     organization, according to the rules and customs of the society,
     institution or organization.
        (c)  Marriage license needed to officiate.--No person or
     religious organization qualified to perform marriages shall
     officiate at a marriage ceremony without the parties having
     obtained a marriage license issued under this part.
     (June 22, 2000, P.L.443, No.59, eff. imd.; Nov. 30, 2004,
     P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days; Dec. 1, 2004, P.L.1777, No.232,
     eff. 60 days; July 14, 2009, P.L.81, No.18, eff. imd.)

        2004 Amendment.  See sections 28 and 29 of Act 207 in the
     appendix to this title for special provisions relating to
     applicability and construction of law.