§ 25-123 — Recording licenses; endorsement of solemnization; recording return; lost licenses

A. The clerk of the superior court shall maintain a record of all marriage licenses issued.

B. The person solemnizing the rites of matrimony shall endorse the act of solemnization on the license and shall return the license to the clerk within thirty days after the solemnization. The returned marriage license shall be recorded by the clerk.

C. If a marriage license is lost before the endorsement of solemnization, the persons who wish to marry shall reapply to the clerk for a marriage license pursuant to section 25-121 and pay a fee pursuant to section 12-284.

D. If the license that bears the endorsement of solemnization is lost, the clerk shall issue a replacement license that must be signed by the person who solemnized the marriage, the persons married and two of the witnesses to the marriage ceremony. The signed replacement license shall be returned to the clerk who shall record the license. If the persons married are unable to obtain all of the required signatures, either of them or their representative may apply to the superior court for an order to authorize the issuance of a duplicate endorsed marriage license. The application shall be by a sworn statement that describes the circumstances of the marriage ceremony and that contains the notarized signatures of the applicant and, if possible, both persons married, the person who solemnized the marriage and at least two witnesses to the marriage ceremony. If the application is submitted by a representative, the court shall determine if the representative is an appropriate requesting party. Pursuant to a court order, the clerk shall issue and record a duplicate endorsed marriage license. The court shall not charge a fee for the application or for issuing or recording the duplicate endorsed marriage license.