Hello,
I am recently engaged, and we would like my fianc�e's step-father to marry us.

I have read in several places that a individual could obtain an authority to conduct a marriage ceremony.

Quote from several websites:
---Civil or non-religious ceremonies must be performed by a judge, justice of the peace or Court Clerk who has legal authority to perform marriages, or by a person given temporary authority by a judge or Court Clerk to conduct a marriage ceremony.---

I also read about this in a wedding planning book.

I called my local court clerk to ask about this, and he pretty much told me I was crazy.
Is this true? Or is this just not something that is common. Perhaps this is not done in my state...
Any help or advise would be greatly appreciate.

DGraves
Baton Rouge, La

Well, I think there are those "churches" that allow you to become a minister online....he could look into that. I know nothing about it, though....

It could be that the court clerk just doesn't know all of the fine details about what you're talking about; who knows, maybe he only started last week!

I may have found the law that you need, but you will still have to go to the courthouse to have it checked out to be sure... Go to this website:
http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/search.htm
In the box next to "Law Body" type in; [color:"red"] RS [/color]
In the box next to "Title, Article, etc." Type: [color:"red"] 9 [/color]
And in the box nex to "Section #" type: [color:"red"] 201[/color]
Then is will bring up a new window, at the top of that window you will see a "Next Section" you can use this to look through articles 201 - 205 which seems to apply to marriage officiants.

If the court says that won't work, then see if you can find a sympathetic officiant thru the phone book or local church, that wouldn't mind letting your Step-Dad to be say the words, and then the official would just sign the piece of paper. Also, try to talk to a woman at the courthouse if you can, they are WAY more sympathetic about marriage stuff than men. (Sorry guys!)