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Appeals Court Lifts Stay; Same-Sex Marriages Begin in San Francisco

David Weir
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Sandra Stier (L) and Kris Perry were married by California.Attorney General Kamala Harris at San Francisco City Hall on July 28, 2013 -- the first same-sex marriage to take place in California since 2008.(KQED/Darlene Bouchard)
Sandra Stier (L) and Kris Perry were married by California Attorney General Kamala Harris at San Francisco City Hall on June 28, 2013 -- the first same-sex marriage to take place in California since 2008.(KQED/Darlene Bouchard)

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco this afternoon issued a one-sentence order lifting a stay on the 2010 lower-court ruling that would clear the way for same-sex marriages to begin immediately throughout California: "The stay in the above matter is dissolved effective immediately."

Reaction of opponents of same-sex marriage was immediate. Andy Pugno, General Counsel for the ProtectMarriage.com Coalition, the official proponents of Proposition 8, issues a statement:

“We just received word that the Ninth Circuit, without waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision to become final and depriving us of our right to ask for reconsideration, has rushed forward to order same-sex marriage licenses. This outrageous act tops off a chronic pattern of lawlessness, throughout this case, by judges and politicians hell-bent on thwarting the vote of the people to redefine marriage by any means, even outright corruption."

Once the ruling was announced, Prop. 8 plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandy Stier were at the head of the line that quickly formed at San Francisco City Hall to obtain marriage licenses.

Attorney General Kamala Harris rushed to City Hall to perform the first marriage  -- between Perry and Stier.

Update: 6:30 p.m. Signing off live blog. Congratulations to the happy couples.

Update 6:15 p.m. SF Gate reports: "San Francisco City Hall is staying open late Friday to allow couples to marry. City Hall will also stay open through the weekend for weddings." Get marriage forms online from City Hall.

Update 5:00 p.m. LOS ANGELES -- L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa is slated to marry Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, the other two plaintiffs in the case, at L.A. City Hall at 6:15 p.m.

Update: 4:20 p.m. SACRAMENTO – At the direction of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., the California Department of Public Health has notified clerks and registrar/recorders in all 58 California counties that same-sex marriage is now legal in California and that marriage licenses must be issued to same-sex couples immediately.

Update: 4:04 p.m. Kamala Harris Tweets:

 

Update: 4:00 p.m. The first marriage licenses have been issued.

 

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Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Dissolves Stay on Same-Sex Marriages


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