Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 76A.djvu/769

–673– -673The fe^ shall be disposed of in the same manner as other fees received by the clerk. (g) A marriage license is valid for only 30 days, including the date it i s issued. % 5. Who may celebrate marriages; license to celebrate (a) A marriage may be celebrated in the Canal Zone only by a: (1) magistrate of the Canal Zone; (2) minister in good standing in any religious society or denomination who resides in the Canal Zone; or (3) minister in good standing in any religious society or denomination who resides in the Republic of Panama, if he has procured from the clerk of the district court for the Canal Zone a license authorizing the minister to celebrate marriages in the Canal Zone. (b) The clerk shall issue the license provided for by paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this section upon the submission, by a minister referred to therein, of a written application, together with a duly authenticated copy of his authority to celebrate marriages in the Republic of Panama. The clerk shall be paid a fee of $5 for issuing and recording the license. The fee shall be disposed of in the same manner as other fees received by the clerk. § 6. Certifying, signing, return, and recording of license; marriage certificate (a) The judicial officer or minister celebrating a marriage shall: (1) certify upon the marriage license that he celebrated the marriage, giving his official title and the time when and place where the marriage was celebrated; (2) cause two persons who witnessed the marriage to sign their names on the marriage license as \?itnesses, each giving his place of residence; (3) at the time of the marriage, fill out and sign the marriage certificate accompanying the license and deliver it to one of the parties to the marriage; and (4) within thirty days after the date of the marriage, return the license, so certified and witnessed, to the clerk who issued it. (b) Upon return of a license as required by subsection (a) of this section, the clerk shall file it after making registry thereof in a book to be kept in his office for that purpose only. The registry must contain the Christian and surnames of the parties, the time of their marriage, and the name and title of the person who celebrated the marriage. § 7. Declaration when there is no record If a record of the solemnization of a marriage, heretofore contracted, is not known to exist, the parties may join in a written declaration of the marriage, substantially showing: (1) the names, ages, and residences of the parties; (2) the fact of marriage; and (3) that a record of the marriage is not known to exist. The declaration shall be subscribed by the parties and attested by at least three witnesses. § 8. Acknowledgment and recording of declaration Declarations of marriage shall be acknowledged and recorded in the office of the clerk of the district court. § 9. Test of validity of the marriage by suit If either party to a marriage denies the marriage, or refuses to join in a declaration thereof, the other may proceed, by action in the district court, to have the validity of the marriage determined and declared.

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