Same-sex weddings on hold in county [updated]

Same-sex couples hoping to tie the knot in Los Angeles County can’t say “I do” just yet.

The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk announced that it will not be performing any same-sex marriages until this week’s U.S. District Court judgment is formally entered.

U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled Wednesday that California’s Proposition 8 barring same-sex marriages was unconstitutional. Proposition 8 proponents have asked Walker to stay his judgment until they can appeal. Parties in the case have until Friday to weigh in on the matter, after which the judge will decide to either formally enter his decision or stay it pending appeal.

County Clerk Dean Logan issued a press release saying that his office is “unable to expand our services to same sex couples until entry of the final judgment. We will continue to monitor any new developments and will take immediate action to implement the Court’s ruling once it becomes effective.”

Updates will be posted on the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s website. Zev’s statement on Walker’s ruling is here.

Posted 8/5/10

Updated 8/12/10

U.S. District Judge Walker on Thursday refused to permanently stay his ruling overturning Proposition 8. But he did agree to give its sponsors until Aug. 18 to appeal his ruling to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, after which time same-sex marriages can again begin to take place.

Dean Logan, Los Angeles County’s Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, said in a statement that, pursuant to the judge’s ruling, his office would “cease to enforce Proposition 8” after 5 p.m. on August 18 and would start to issue marriage licenses and perform civil marriages.

Logan said his office would extend regular office hours at designated county facilities to handle the expected surge of requests.

The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, he said, “will seek to meet customer demand for every qualified couple seeking a marriage license or a civil marriage ceremony at County facilities.”

Information on the extended hours of service will be available at www.lavote.net by Friday, Aug. 13 after 5 p.m. Marriage license information can be accessed online at www.lamarriage.lacounty.gov.