Same-Sex Couples Flock to California Courts to Wed

Jubilant gay and lesbian couples tied the knot on the first day marriage licenses were widely available across California following last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision clearing the way for same-sex weddings to resume.

Monday was the first chance for all but a handful of California's same-sex couples to wed since 2008, when about 18,000 couples got hitched in a brief window before a voter-approved ban.

Last week, the high court ruled that backers of Proposition 8 didn't have standing to defend the measure in court, and late Friday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay, allowing some weddings that afternoon.

The Los Angeles County clerk-recorder's office logged 600 online marriage license applications over the weekend and posted extended hours Monday to deal with the crush.

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