AL MORALE
STUMP THE CLERK….
1. A couple wants to get married, but they are both incarcerated and can’t appear in person to purchase a license. What do you tell the couple?
a. Break out of those chains and come into the office to apply
b. Lose the orange jumpsuit and we’ll be able to assist you…
c. Have the couple give a friend or family member power of attorney and they can
come in and apply for the license on their behalf
d. Offer the Affidavit of Inability to Appear
e. Tell them they really weren’t meant for each other, try again in 25 yrs to life…
Correct Answer: D
2. What is an acceptable address for the parties or witnesses on a marriage license?
a. A home address is the only address that is acceptable
b. The address of the hotel where they will be on their honeymoon…if it’s in the
U.S.
c. Their e-mail address is acceptable as long as it contains the @ symbol… or
d. A residential address, business address, or U.S Post Office box is acceptable
e. If the couple doesn’t want their address on the license, simply enter a dash…
Correct Answer: D
3. If there is no record of the marriage, how long after the ceremony must the couple wait in order to apply for a Declaration of Marriage?
a. 30 days
b. 90 days
c. Less than one year
d. One year or longer
e. As long as they declare their everlasting love… They can apply at any time.
Correct Answer: D
4. In which of these situations can a couple apply for a confidential marriage license?
a. Both applicants are under the age of 18. One of the parties is pregnant and the
other party is incarcerated
b. They have an Inability to Appear form, but no proof the absent party is
incarcerated…
c. One of the parties is stationed overseas serving in a conflict of war and has
signed a power of attorney form…
d. The couple does not live together, but doesn’t want the marriage record to be
public
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: E
5. Robert Smith and Molly Jones are applying for their marriage license and have indicated their last name after marriage will be Robertson. Is this acceptable?
a. Yes, because “Robert” is the first name, and “S” is a segment of Smith, and “On” is a segment of Jones
b. Absolutely not – refuse to issue the license
c. Good golly Miss Molly, you can’t assume a new name…
d. Yes, as long as the couple shows you how they derived the new last name
e. None of the above and inform the couple to get more creative next time.
Correct Answer: B
6. Which of the items below are required when registering a public marriage license?
a. The license was issued in your county; the ceremony was performed on or after
the issuance date, and on or before the expiration date, the marriage wassolemnized in Calif.
b. First person and second person have selected a groom or bride box
c. At least two witnesses signed the license
d. A & B
e. All of the above
Correct Answer: A
7. What is an acceptable format for the date of marriage on the marriage license?
a. 17th Jan. 2009
b. January 17, 09
c. 1/17/09
d. 01/17/2009
e. All of the above
Correct Answer: E
8. What do you do when a couple was married using a confidential marriage license in a county other than the county of issuance?
a. Have the couple apply for a new marriage license and have another ceremony
b. Forward the original license to the county where the couple was married and
ask that county to register the license
c. Wait one year and apply for a declaration of marriage in their county of residence, or petition the court to establish the fact of marriage
d. Tell the couple they are married, but you can’t register the license
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: C
9. What color ink must be used when completing the marriage license?
a. Red
b. Gold
c. Photographically reproducible ink
d. Disappearing ink, just in case they change their minds…or don’t want anyone
to know their true date of marriage
e. Black only
Correct Answer: C
10. A marriage license is received for registration, you know the parties are a same gender couple, and were married on 01/02/2009. What should you do?
a. Stamp void across the face and return it to the parties as they were married after
the election
b. Contact the officiant to confirm the date of marriage was entered correctly. If
so, then reject the license. If not, have the officiant sign an amendment
correcting the date of marriage to a date prior to 11/05/2008.
c. Call 911
d. Smile, register the license and issue the couple as many certified copies as they
request
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: D
11. What are the requirements to purchase a certified copy of a public marriage certificate?
a. Must complete a sworn statement signed under penalty of perjury
b. Must be an authorized person as listed in H & S Code Section 103526
c. Must be 18 years of age or older
d. Must know the name(s) of one or both parties, date of the ceremony, and pay
the fee
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: D
12. What are the requirements to obtain a certified copy of a confidential marriage license?
a. Must be the mother/father or mother/father-in-law
b. With a power of attorney from one of the parties to the marriage
c. With a subpoena
d. One of the parties to the marriage appear in the CountyClerk’s Office with
authentic photo ID., mail a written request with their signature acknowledged
by a notary, send in the form given to them at the time they purchased the
license, enter their order on- line and fax their completed written request with
their signature acknowledged by a notary public.
Correct Answer: D
13. How long does a couple have after a certified copy is issued to as the county to replace their certified copy?
a. One year
b. 90 days
c. 10 days
d. The same day
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: E
14. Under which of the following scenarios would you issue a certified copy?
a. You noticed both of the signature fields were signed by the same person
b. The marriage officiant did not sign the registered certificate
c. Three witnesses signed the registered certificate
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: D
15. You issued certified copies of a marriage certificate, and the couple returns the next day and say the date of marriage is incorrect. What do you do?
a. Take the certified copies back, redact the date of marriage and replace it with the correct date
b. Say “I am sorry, but that is your official date of marriage” – remember to add
the new date to your calendar so you don’t forget to celebrate
c. Hit the easy button
d. Change the date of marriage on the original, reissue certified copies at no charge
e. Tell the couple the officiant, and one other person with knowledge of the fact will need to signan amendment to correct the date of marriage
Correct Answer: E
16. The license is received with a cross-out, but the correct information is clearly shown next to the cross-out. What do you do?
a. White out the crossed out information and register the license
b. Issue a duplicate license
c. Issue an amendment to clarify the correct information
d. None of the above
e. Call 1-800-ask-the-state
Correct Answer: B
17. When is blue ink acceptable?
a. When you can’t find a black ink pen
b. Blue ink is always acceptable
c. Never…amendments must be completed in black ink only
d. On marriage licenses only
e. C and D
Correct Answer: E
18. A couple gets married and there’s a problem with the license and a duplicate needs to be issued. The minister says a duplicate is not necessary because the couple no longer wants to be married. What do you do?
a. Thank the minister for letting you know and tell him to destroy the license
b. Inform the minister that a duplicate is required, and he must complete the
affidavit for duplicate and pay the required fee
c. Tell the couple their secret is safe with you
d. Tell the minister the couple has up to one year to change their mind
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: B
19. How can one or both parties add the name they wish to be known by after marriage to their marriage license?
a. By completing an affidavit to amend the record showing an AKA
b. By completing an affidavit to amend the record showing their new married name(s)
c. Apply for a duplicate license showing the new names in place of those on theoriginal license
d. By including the new name(s) on the marriage license application
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: D
20. A couple were married two months ago and a duplicate license is required, but the officiant cannot come into your office to apply. How can you issue the duplicate?
a. Tell the couple to pay the airfare costs for the officiant to come into your office
to apply for the duplicate license
b. Issue a Declaration of Marriage to the couple instead
c. Offer to send your staff on a very long field trip to obtain the officiants signature
d. Tell the couple you are sorry, but they must apply for a new license and have another ceremony
e. Mail the Affidavit for Duplicate and Duplicate License to the officiant forsignature and fee
Correct Answer: E
21. What does SRDP mean?
a. Skip, Run, Dance and Pray for the best
b. Social Religious Denominations Party til they drop
c. Shopping Requires Deep Pockets
d. State Registered Domestic Partners
e. State Registered Domestic Person
Correct Answer: D
22. Who can perform marriage ceremonies in California?
a. Judge or retired Judge of a Bankruptcy Court
b. Major in the Salvation Army
c. U.S. Magistrate or retired Magistrate
d. Priest, Minister, Rabbi of any religious denomination
e. All of the above
Correct Answer: E
23. Is it acceptable for the parties to sign their name using foreign characters?
a. Yes, as long as the issuing clerk understands the language they are using to sign
the license
b. No, they have to complete the marriage certificate using the 26 alphabetical
characters in the English language
c. Yes, as long as they sign the license twice, once using the foreign characters
and once using the English characters
d. Yes, if that is their normal customary signature
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: D
24. A couple who were married in September 2008, and their license was registered, would now like to add bride and groom to their marriage license. What do you tell them?
a. Tell them since they are already married, they are no longer bride or groom
b. Call your Policy Analyst for direction
c. Amend the marriage license to add the bride and groom overlay
d. If you still have the license in your office, add the bride and groom overlay
e. None of the above
Correct Answer: B
25. A couple were married in Mexico, and would like to register the marriage in California. What do you tell them?
a. no habla Espanol
b. Issue them a California Marriage License and tell them to have a ceremony in
your office.
c. It’s 5:00 somewhere in Margaritaville
d. Take the foreign marriage license to the Recorder’s Office and ask them to
record it.
e. If the couple wants to establish a record in California, send them to Superior
Court to file a Court Ordered Delayed Certificate of Marriage
Correct Answer: E
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