Permission for Remarriage Request

I, the undersigned, am over the age of eighteen, am competent to sign this document, and understand that I am signing an authorization, release, and waiver for the Clergical Council of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate - Diocese of the Southern United States, the “Council.” Further, I understand that the Council consists of three priests appointed by the Bishop of the Diocese and the Bishop is the head of the Council.

By signing this document, I consent, authorize and agree to the following:

1. I consent to participate in a determination proceeding for issues relating to marital matters before the Council.
2. If I am not a spouse or a former spouse of the marriage subject to the Council’s investigation, I consent, authorize and agree to everything in this document as an individual outside the marriage communicating in any form with the Council regarding the marriage subject to the Council’s investigation.
3. If I communicate or provide information to the Council relating in any manner to a past, present, and/or potential future marital matter or matters which includes but is not limited to verbal communication, written communication, and/or documentation supporting and/or refuting an allegation or allegations, I authorize the Council to openly communicate this information between the Council and the individual I identify to the Council as my spouse, former spouse and/or potential future spouse. I further authorize the Council to openly communicate the above-referenced information in any confidential manner the Council deems appropriate with any other Coptic Clergical Council in this and/or another Coptic Orthodox Diocese if at any time I request and/or my past, present, and/or potential future spouse requests permission to remarry in the Coptic Orthodox Church, or for any other reason the Council deems appropriate.
4. I understand that the Council is an ecclesiastical council and not a secular tribunal.
5. I understand that all determinations made by the Council are not subject to secular judicial review and I agree to release and hold the Council harmless from the Council’s determination regarding any of my past, present and/or potential future marital matters relating to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
6. I understand and agree that if the Council grants me an Ecclesiastical Marriage Permit, “EMP,” thereby allowing me to remarry in the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Council reserves the right to disclose to my potential future spouse the cause or causes of the granting of my ecclesiastical annulment and/or the reasoning for granting me with an EMP.
7. I agree to release and hold harmless the Council, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate – Diocese of the Southern United States and all individuals and organizations providing services on behalf of the Diocese from any and all liability, damages, claims and/or causes of action of any kind arising from, or in any way connected to, the use and/or release of any information pursuant to the terms of this authorization, release and waiver.
8. I understand, consent and agree to the above-referenced terms and conditions of the Council and I waive any and all rights to obtain and/or use the Council’s case file and all related documents, recordings and notes, all of which are the sole possession of the Council.
9. I understand that the file created by the Council and all communications relating to the file are confidential and private because they are clerical privileged communications and that the file and all communications relating the file shall only be disclosed by the Council pursuant to this authorization, release and waiver.