How to quickly find marriage certificate?

[Marriage Certif]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina residence

Family friend deeded me a small parcel of land approx 2 years before his death. Adult (late 50's and early 60's) step-sons are contesting the deed on the basis that this elderly gentleman and their mother were never married (their mother gave the land to them in her will but she died 3 years prior to her husband). The claim that their mother was not married to this man was never mentioned until the man died. Their mother's death certificate, will, and social security check were under her name as married to him.

How do I quickly find a marriage certificate from the 1970's? I do NOT know what state they were married in nor do I know the exact date of their marriage. Time is of the essence in finding validation of the marriage to block their law suit. (Online search companies search by county and require more information than I have.)

Thank you

Marriage Certif

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina residence

Family friend deeded me a small parcel of land approx 2 years before his death. Adult (late 50's and early 60's) step-sons are contesting the deed on the basis that this elderly gentleman and their mother were never married (their mother gave the land to them in her will but she died 3 years prior to her husband). The claim that their mother was not married to this man was never mentioned until the man died. Their mother's death certificate, will, and social security check were under her name as married to him.

How do I quickly find a marriage certificate from the 1970's? I do NOT know what state they were married in nor do I know the exact date of their marriage. Time is of the essence in finding validation of the marriage to block their law suit. (Online search companies search by county and require more information than I have.)

Thank you

Marriage Certif

I don't understand. Was the land deeded in both the husband and wife's name? If it was deeded only in the wife's name, and her will left the land to her children, then her will was valid and the husband had no legal right to deed the land to you, it wasn't his land.

If the land was deeded in both names, then the wife may still have had the right to will her half to her children, depending on how the deed was worded, not depending on whether or not they were married. If it was deeded as joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, then the wife's will was invalid, again, whether they were married or not. If it was deeded differently, then her ownership interest could be willed to whomever she liked.

It doesn't seem to me that proving or not proving that they were married applies here at all. Have you actually discussed this with a real estate and a probate attorney?