Contact: Mark Church, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Theresa Rabe, Deputy Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) San Mateo County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder Mark Church announced today that his office is prepared to accommodate the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriages. “Staff has been fully cross-trained, so we will have additional staff available to process marriage applications and perform marriage ceremonies,” Church said. “Volunteers are also available to perform marriage ceremonies. And our forms are designed to accommodate same-sex marriages,” he added.

According to the Birth and Marriage Registration Section of the California Department of Public Health, it will take about a month or more before same-sex marriage licenses can be issued. Same-sex marriage licenses cannot be issued until the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision is final and transmitted to the Ninth Federal Circuit Court in 25 days, and the stay of injunction against Proposition 8 is lifted by the Ninth Federal Circuit Court. Information as to when same-sex licenses may be issued will be posted at www.smcare.org (County Clerk section).

A County Deputy Marriage Commissioner can perform a civil marriage ceremony in the County Clerk's Chapel by appointment only Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). The chapel will hold a wedding party of 20 people. Church stated that “up to 16 ceremonies can be performed daily, depending on the demand.” County Chapel wedding ceremonies can be broadcast live over the world wide web.

The press release is displayed in its original format. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections website now resides at www.smcacre.org