LAKE COUNTY — At least a dozen same-sex couples can get marriage licenses starting today, according to the Lake County Auditor-Controller”s Office.
“We”ve probably gotten about a dozen inquiries so far, in direct phone calls to our office,” Assistant Auditor-Controller Cathy Saderlund said Monday.
Before today, the county clerk”s office issued domestic partnership forms to same-sex couples. After the California Supreme Court”s May 15 ruling to overturn the state”s ban on same-sex marriages, the county office is extending its hours to accommodate a possible influx.
“What we”re doing this week is just in case a volume comes through interested in civil ceremonies,” Saderlund said.
Saderlund said the forms available beginning today are non-gender-specific.
County clerks usually perform marriages on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, depending on board of supervisors” chambers availability. This week, county clerks can perform civil ceremonies by appointment only between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. today and Wednesday, and between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Thursday. To make an appointment, call 263-2311.
Marriage licenses are available between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the county Auditor-Controller”s Office at the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport, in Room 209 on the second floor.
Saderlund said her office has one computer for processing the applications, and the process can take approximately half an hour. The application forms can be completed in advance, and are available at the clerk”s office Web site, www.co.lake.ca.us.
In 2007, the county clerk”s office issued 307 public marriage licenses and performed 114 marriage ceremonies, according to Saderlund. The number of domestic partnership forms issued was not documented.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
