Gay couples request marriage

As of Thursday afternoon, 17 local gay couples had already called or walked into the courthouse in Santa Ana requesting marriage licenses following the California Supreme Court’s ruling that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

None have yet been issued, because state officials still need time to review the 200-page ruling and change the laws on the books accordingly.

In a 4-3 decision, the court overturned California’s 2000 vote to ban gay marriage. Signatures are being gathered to put a measure on the November ballot to amend the Constitution and ban same-sex marriages, which would counteract Thursday’s ruling.

Costa Mesa resident Karin Baker, who had a commitment ceremony with partner Cindy Wallace nearly six years ago, said the old process of registering a domestic partnership with the government was humiliating and treated same-sex unions like business arrangements.

“I was offended, to be frank, by the process of domestic registration,” Baker said. “Now that we have that right, we intend to have an official marriage on the anniversary of our commitment ceremony.”

The partners intend to get an official marriage on the anniversary of their commitment ceremony later this year.

Assemblymen Chuck DeVore and Van Tran and state Sen. Tom Harman say the Supreme Court ruling goes against the will of the people, who approved Proposition 22 in a landslide vote.

“Proposition 22 consists of the clearest 14 words in our state law. There is no ambiguity here; the intent of California voters is clear and overwhelming,” Tran said. “I will fight this kind of judicial activism vigorously and continue to fight for marriage as only that between a man and a woman.”

DeVore said he has read the entire ruling and thinks the way the judges justified their opinion — by citing the rights to privacy and equal protection under the law — will strip the state of its power to ban “polygamous marriage or incestuous marriage since, using the court’s own arguments, these alternative arrangements do no harm to traditionally married couples.”

The Rev. Sarah Halverson, of Fairview Community Church in Costa Mesa, was “elated” by the court’s decision.

Although her church only recently became an “open, welcoming and affirming” congregation, she has been performing gay marriage ceremonies for years.

“I’ve performed marriages for same-sex couples before, and I’ll continue to do so even if the U.S. Supreme Court overrules it. God recognizes love even if the state doesn’t, but now the state does,” Halverson said.

Still, Halverson is excited that she will now be able to sign marriage licenses for the couples she marries.

The law will not take effect for 30 days, according to Orange County Commissioner of Marriages Tom Daly; however, it could take longer, depending on how quickly state lawmakers can respond.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.