“Witch-ing You a Happy Ever After”
Salem, OR – This Halloween, get ready to brew a cauldron full of love potion! For the second year in a row, Justice of the Peace Justin Kidd is trading the judicial robes for a costume as he celebrates Halloween with another spooktacular Marriage-Palooza! On October 31st, we’ll conjure up love as ten lucky couples say “I do” in a frightfully fun ceremony that’s sure to raise some spirits!
Last year’s event was a fang-tastic success, and this year promises to be even more boo-tiful! In 2023, the Justice, dressed in Jedi robes, wed couples costumed as lobsters, bikers, devils, day-of-the-dead skeletons, and more.
This year, too, the Justice will be officiating weddings that will make your heart skip a beat (or two!). We’ll decorated the courtroom and offer ghoulish treats to celebrate the big “I boo”. And couples who brave this bloodcurdling marriage day need never fear forgetting their anniversary.
Whether they’re witches, wizards, or wandering spirits, couples are invited to come dressed in their best costume and ready to celebrate love with a twist! The court has a limited number of slots for Halloween. Interested couples will need to get a marriage license from their county clerk, and they will need to call 503.576.7200 for an appointment.
On a serious note, Judge Kidd respects marriages of all kinds. “Marriage is a fundamental right, and our courthouse is here to make it accessible to all.” Judge Kidd wants the courts to be accessible places for all parts of our community. “This kind of celebration might seem silly, but it serves an important purpose. It makes clear that the court is available to everyone.” Judge Kidd performs marriages in English and Spanish. “Offering weddings in Spanish is important,” he said, “because courts are here to serve the entire community.”
About the Marion County Justice Court: The Marion County Justice Court hears small claims, landlord-tenant claims, and violations (like traffic tickets). Justice Courts are The People’s Courts, designed to administer speedy and accessible justice. Most cases at Justice Court are pro-se, meaning that people represent themselves without lawyers. The judge at the Justice Court is known as the Justice of the Peace.
In recent years, the Marion County Justice Court has coordinated with the Circuit Court to move thousands of cases each year from the circuit court to our court. That case movement has allowed the Circuit Court to focus on higher level for more dangerous crimes. Before Judge Kidd joined Marion County, the Justice Court was doing around 18,000 cases per year. Last year, the court heard more than 28,000 cases. Weddings have also increased remarkably. While most couples come from Marion and Polk Counties, other have come from all over the Willamette Valley.
About Judge Kidd: Justin Kidd received his BA in Spanish from the University of Denver, a Master’s in Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and his JD from the University of California, Berkeley. After law school, he served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice. He’s a “people person” who would much prefer being in the courtroom than writing a brief. He’s a foster and adoptive parent, so foster care issues are close to his heart.
