In Minnesota, the process of becoming authorized to solemnize civil marriages is a procedural one, detailed meticulously by the state’s statutes. The Certificate of Ordination Filing is a critical document in this process, designed to ensure that individuals seeking to officiate marriages are duly qualified and recognized under law. This document must be filed along with the original Ordination Certificate and adheres to specific guidelines set forth by Minnesota State Statutes 517.04 and 517.05. These statutes outline who is eligible to solemnize civil marriages, including judges, court administrators, licensed or ordained ministers of any religious denomination, and others specified within the law. Additionally, the statutes require ministers to record their credentials or authority with a local registrar, which then becomes a part of the public record and is endorsed on each marriage certificate they issue. The form also includes space for ministers to acknowledge their understanding and compliance with these statutes, and to specify the nature of their authority to perform marriages, whether it has an expiration date or not. The filing serves a dual purpose: it acts as a formal recognition of one's ability to officiate marriages and as a legal safeguard, ensuring that all civil marriages solemnized in the state conform to the established legal framework, thereby minimizing instances of unauthorized or falsely certified marriages, which are penalized under Minnesota law. This introduction to the Minnesota Certificate Ordination form highlights its significance in the legal and ceremonial spheres, emphasizing its role in upholding the integrity of civil marriage solemnization in the state.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Minnesota Certificate Ordination Form |
| Form Length | 1 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 15 sec |
| Other names | ordination stearns, how to obtain a ordained minister certificate, minnesota ordination, stearns county minnesota marriage certificate |
CERTIFICATE OF ORDINATION FILING
Note: This form must be accompanied by the original Ordination Certificate and faxed to
Minnesota Statute 517.04 Solemnization Persons Authorized to Perform Civil Marriages.
Civil marriages may be solemnized throughout the state by an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is a judge of a court of record, a retired judge of a court of record, a court administrator, a retired court administrator with the approval of the chief judge of the judicial district, a former court commissioner who is employed by the court system or is acting pursuant to an order of the chief judge of the commissioner's judicial district, the residential school administrators of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, a licensed or ordained minister of any religious denomination, or by any mode recognized in section 517.18.
Minnesota Statute 517.05 Credentials of Minister.
Ministers of any religious denomination, before they are authorized to solemnize a civil marriage, shall file a copy
of their credentials of license or ordination or, if their religious denomination does not issue credentials, authority from the minister’s spiritual assembly, with the local registrar of a county in this state, who shall record the same
and give a certificate thereof. The place where the credentials are recorded shall be endorsed upon and recorded with each certificate of civil marriage granted by a minister.
Minister’s Name:
Address:
City, State Zip Code:
Phone (include area code): |
FAX (include area code): |
Email:
I do hereby acknowledge that I have read the above Minnesota State Statutes and confirm that I am qualified under MS517.04 to perform civil marriage and believe the attached document is in compliance with MS.517.05.
Check one:
My authority to perform civil marriages expires on ________________.
My authority to perform civil marriages has no expiration date.
____________________________________ Dated: ___________________
(Signature of Minister)
Minnesota Statute 517.14 Illegal Civil Marriage; False Certificate; Penalty.
A person authorized by law to solemnize civil marriages who knowingly solemnizes a civil marriage contrary to the provisions of this chapter, or knowing of any legal impediment to the proposed civil marriage, or who willfully makes a false certificate of any civil marriage or pretended civil marriage is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Minnesota Statute 517.15 Unauthorized Person Performing Ceremony.
A person who knowingly undertakes to solemnize a civil marriage, without lawful authority to do so, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Office use only below this line.)
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STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF STEARNS
The documentation you have presented, which you state is in compliance with MS 517.05, has been filed in this office on ______ day of _______________, 20_____
Randy R. Schreifels, by: ____________________________________
Deputy Local Registrar