Declaration of Intent & Affidavit (Already Married) – Jefferson Parish, LA

The Declaration of Intent & Affidavit (Already Married) is the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court form that a married couple completes to designate their existing Louisiana marriage as a covenant marriage, instead of entering a covenant marriage when they first marry.

The Clerk of Court describes a covenant marriage as a legally distinct form of marriage in Louisiana. The couple agrees to limited grounds for divorce or legal separation and commits to seeking counseling if problems arise. Couples in a standard marriage may designate it as a covenant marriage later, and that later designation is what this version of the form is for.

The Declaration of Intent is signed by both parties. As the Clerk's page describes it, the declaration states:

• an agreement to live together as spouses for life;
• that each party carefully chose the other and disclosed relevant information affecting the decision to marry;
• that counseling was received;
• a commitment to preserve the marriage, including seeking counseling if difficulties arise;
• that the counseling was provided by clergy or a licensed professional counselor.

The Clerk also describes an Affidavit and Attestation: the counselor provides a notarized affidavit confirming that the couple discussed the lifelong nature of covenant marriage, the obligation to seek counseling, the limited grounds for divorce or separation, and receipt of the Attorney General's pamphlet titled "Covenant Marriage Act."

This is the version for couples who are already married. The Clerk lists a separate Declaration of Intent & Affidavit (Not Yet Married) for couples entering a covenant marriage at the time of marriage.

Married couples who want to change a standard Louisiana marriage into a covenant marriage use this version of the form. The Clerk of Court's page says couples already married may designate their marriage as a covenant marriage by completing a Declaration of Intent after counseling, and both parties must sign it.

Conditions that apply:

• The counseling behind the declaration must be provided by clergy or a licensed professional counselor.
• The counselor provides a notarized affidavit confirming what was discussed with the couple.
• Couples who married outside Louisiana also use the form, but they file a copy of the marriage certificate with the Declaration of Intent in the parish of domicile.

Couples who are not yet married do not use this version. For them the Clerk lists the Declaration of Intent & Affidavit (Not Yet Married), which is submitted with the marriage license application.

The Clerk's page names no one who may sign for a spouse, so plan for both spouses to sign.

File the declaration once you and your spouse have completed counseling and decided to designate your existing marriage as a covenant marriage. The Clerk of Court's page says the Declaration of Intent is completed after counseling.

No deadline or renewal period is printed for this designation. The requirement that a declaration be submitted with the marriage license application applies to couples entering a covenant marriage at the time of marriage, not to couples who are already married.

Before you file, have the counselor's notarized affidavit ready, and if you married outside Louisiana, a copy of your marriage certificate.

The Declaration of Intent is filed with a Louisiana official, depending on where you married.

• Married in Louisiana: file the Declaration with the official who issued your original marriage license.
• Married outside Louisiana: file a copy of your marriage certificate and the Declaration of Intent in the parish of domicile (the parish where you live).

The Clerk of Court's covenant marriage page, at https://jeffparishclerk.gov/marriage-licenses-passports/covenant-marriage/, lists this form with the Not Yet Married version and the Louisiana Attorney General's Covenant Marriage Brochure. It gives no mailing address, portal, appointment rule or fee for this form, so confirm the filing details with the office where you file. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.