Are ships' captains allowed to marry people at sea?

[etler]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_329.html

The CFR reference in Paragraph 2 of the article is out of date. As of 10/15/1999 the section of the CFR is 32 CFR 700.844 (Title 32, Subtitle A, Chapter VI, Subchapter A, Part 700, Subpart H, Section 844. Cf. 64 FR 56062, 56075.)

The wording is the same.

[samclem]

Dex is the go-to guy who sees that previous columns are corrected, etc. He’s away for a few days. Have patience, and thanks for updating this.

BTW, are you a ships’ Captain? Just curious.

[etler]

> BTW, are you a ships’ Captain? Just curious.

Heh nope, just an obsessive geek who’s into law. Though I was a coxswain in college. Never tried to marry anyone though.

[Mathochist]

@etler

I was a coxswain in college.

Such language!

[Baldwin]

Another myth shattered. When you see something presented as true in countless movies, it’s strange to find out that it’s just not so.

[Raguleader]

Easy way to clear up confusion on this: Require all ship’s captains to become ordained ministers and Justices of the Peace. That way they can marry people at sea.

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

For the record, it’s actually TubaDiva who works with Ed Zotti for technical updates to old columns. I have passed this over to her.

And, yeah, in theory I’m on vacation at the moment. Hah.

[Princhester]

@Raguleader

Easy way to clear up confusion on this: Require all ship’s captains to become ordained ministers and Justices of the Peace. That way they can marry people at sea.

Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion.

[Johnny_L.A]

[QUOTE=etlerThough I was a coxswain in college.[/QUOTE]

'Ow many oars did you cock?

[Chronos]

Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion.

How so?

[Baldwin]

Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion.

In the U.S. at least, I’m pretty sure a minister of any recognized faith can conduct a wedding.

[Princhester]

But you wouldn’t usually use the term “ordained minister” about the respective holy men of Hindus, Moslems etc would you?

[vetbridge]

@Baldwin

In the U.S. at least, I’m pretty sure a minister of any recognized faith can conduct a wedding.

I can only speak for Pennsylvania, but as an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, I have performed 3 weddings. Each Church has their own requirements for ordaination(?). The Universal Life Church requires you to click “yes”.

[Raguleader]

@Princhester

But you wouldn’t usually use the term “ordained minister” about the respective holy men of Hindus, Moslems etc would you?

You’re picking at nits here, I was just saying that if all of the Captains had the authority of their respective faiths to do weddings, then that would eliminate the confusion!

[Crandolph]

@vetbridge

I can only speak for Pennsylvania, but as an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, I have performed 3 weddings. Each Church has their own requirements for ordaination(?). The Universal Life Church requires you to click “yes”.

Of course with our Quaker history I believe we have a somewhat more generous take on this than most states, see b) below:

§ 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 district justice of this Commonwealth.

2. A former or retired justice, judge or district justice of this Commonwealth who is serving as a senior judge or senior district justice as provided or prescribed by law.

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.

4. An active 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.

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. [Anabaptists & Quakers…]

(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.

The startling thing to me is that your mayor can marry you - cool.

Oh, and there was a joke in the original article that a captain can marry anyone he wants as this is a free country… of course, if the captain is gay this doesn’t apply…

[clairobscur]

@Crandolph

The startling thing to me is that your mayor can marry you - cool.

In France, you can only be married by a mayor or a deputy-mayor. Any town hall has a marriage hall for this purpose.