Same-sex marriages have now resumed in California, after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday removed a stay that had kept counties from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. The court's move comes two days after the Supreme Court ruled on a case involving the state's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage.
Update at 8:05 p.m. ET: First Gay Marriage After Prop 8
Kristin Perry and Sandy Stier, who were plaintiffs in the Proposition 8 case, "were first in line at San Francisco City Hall waiting to get their marriage license," reports SF Gate.
And they held a ceremony immediately. Photos from the scene show State Attorney General Kamala Harris officiating, as the couple stands in front of a large crowd.
SF Gate reports that San Francisco's City Hall will stay open late Friday, and through the weekend, to handle the marriage requests.
Our original post continues:
After the Supreme Court's ruling this week, initial reports stated that the circuit court would take 25 days to act, a result of the delay between a decision's being made and the lower court's being officially informed of the ruling.
With the stay lifted, gay marriages can resume almost immediately.
After this week's Proposition 8 ruling, California Gov. Jerry Brown said he "directed the California Department of Public Health to advise the state's counties that they must begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in California as soon as the Ninth Circuit confirms the stay is lifted."
In that statement, Brown also said the Department of Health would send a letter to county officials when the stay is lifted.
As The Two-Way reported Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the sponsors of Proposition 8 did not have legal standing to defend the law in court, after California's government had declined to defend it. As a result, the case was referred back to the circuit court.
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