25-126. Application to justice of the peace for marriage and covenant marriage licenses; issuance; violation; classification

A. A justice of the peace whose office is located five miles or more from the county seat of the county in which the office is located may be designated by the clerk of the superior court to receive applications for and issue marriage licenses in that county, including covenant marriage licenses, and to process the conversion of existing marriages to covenant marriages pursuant to section 25-902. The applications for a marriage license shall be made on forms conforming to section 25-121, which shall be provided by the clerk of the superior court.

B. If requested by the justice of the peace designated pursuant to subsection A of this section, the clerk of the superior court shall issue in blank licenses as requested and charge them against the justice of the peace. A justice of the peace who has possession of marriage license forms as provided in this section shall account for these forms as required by the clerk of the superior court.

C. The justice of the peace designated pursuant to subsection A of this section shall report to the clerk the issuance of each license and shall transmit the fee prescribed by section 12-284 at the same time. Intentional failure to transmit the report and fee or the use of the authority granted by this section by the justice of the peace for personal gain is a class 2 misdemeanor.