Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Via the Gainesville Sun:
Clerks around the state had a lengthy conference call late Friday morning, in which they were told that U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle had clarified his Washington County ruling to mean that county clerks should issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples or risk being sued. All of the state’s clerks have said they will issue licenses, although clerks in Duval, Clay, Baker, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties say they no longer will perform marriage ceremonies.
In Alachua County, Clerk Buddy Irby said his office will open a few minutes early Tuesday morning to help ensure a glitch-free process for couples seeking a marriage license. The licensing process should take only a few minutes, and once it’s done, couples who have taken a premarital counseling course can wed immediately, he said. The city of Orlando and the Metropolitan Business Association, Central Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender chamber of commerce, will host a “Vowed & Proud” celebration with a group marriage ceremony officiated by Mayor Buddy Dyer at city hall. And in Broward County, the clerk’s office will open its main office at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 6 to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses and hold a group wedding at 3 a.m. for eligible couples.
We would have bet there would be at least a couple of holdout martyrs. Sorry about that, John Stemberger! So much for your “victory,” Liberty Counsel! SNORK. (Tipped by JMG reader Bruno)