Qualified. Experienced. Proven.

The following article was written by Judge Thomas and submitted for publication in the Fall 2008 edition of the Council of Magistrate Court Judges Newsletter.

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As Magistrate Judges we see many opportunities to serve and try to improve our communities. But often our actions are remedial at best, and sometimes negative or punitive.

Our authority to conduct weddings is an additional opportunity to do something positive, i.e., to legalize and stabilize “relationships” and help hold families intact.

We all know that commitments “for as long as we both shall live” are better and stronger than “yes, I’ll respect you in the morning.”

We all recognize that children reared in stable intact families generally do better in school, generally have fewer discipline problems, generally have fewer run-ins with the law, and generally are more successful in life than children from unstable situations. We must do all we can to stablize those situations We owe it to the children, to our communities, and to our profession.

I realize that the glue does not always stick. I did a wedding late on a Friday afternoon and the following Monday morning had a double first appearance and bond hearing for battery, family violence; the couple had spent most of the weekend whipping the whey out of each other. I concluded that to some people marriage is a word; but to some people marriage is a sentence.

My attitude and practice is to do weddings. Our Court encourages weddings and schedules them but also allows walk-ins; if the couple has a marriage license we will do the wedding.

It has been our Court’s practice for the past three years to reserve Valentines Day for weddings. We have the strong support of the weekly newspaper which gives excellent publicity before and after Valentines Day. A local florist decorates the courtroom and provides bridal bouquets. A local grocery store supplies streamers and balloons. The Court provides candy hearts, mixed nuts, and other munchies. We take pictures with a disposable camera and give the camera to the couple. This is an all no expense, beyond the license, to the couple and no expense to Lamar County because our staff recognizes the value in what we’re doing. This has been very successful, greatly appreciated by the couples and their families, and is lots more fun than setting bond for a child molester. The real beneficiaries are the children, and in turn, all the rest of us.

I encourage you to exercise the additional opportunity entrusted to you by the citizens of your county.