The Wait for a New Jersey Marriage License May Soon be Over for Terminally Ill Patients

Couples looking to marry in the State of New Jersey must apply for a marriage license and sit out the 72-hour mandatory waiting period before the license is issued. For most couples, that three-day waiting period is a minor interruption in their quest to begin their new life together as a family. However, there are certain emergency situations, such as illness or military assignment, where the delay can be a major hindrance. Under circumstances such as these, the waiting period can be waived by a Superior Court Judge.

The process for applying for a waiver is feasible under most conditions, but if one of the partners is suffering a terminal illness, the time it takes the other partner to seek the waiver can be significant. That may soon change as a result of a new bill, approved earlier this month by a State Assembly panel, that would make it easier for a couple dealing with a terminal illness to obtain a waiver. Read Matt Friedman’s story, “Don’t make terminally ill patients wait to get married, N.J. Assembly panel says” for details.