Md. Issues Legal Opinion On Gay Marriage Licenses

Maryland court clerks can begin accepting applications for same-sex marriage licenses immediately and issue them as soon as Dec. 6 as long as they specify that the licenses don't take effect until Jan. 1, Attorney General Doug Gansler wrote in a legal opinion Thursday.

Gansler also noted in the 19-page opinion that marriage ceremonies may be performed starting Jan. 1, when the law is scheduled to take effect.

While Maryland's same-sex marriage law was approved by voters earlier this month, there were questions about how the law would go into effect, because Jan. 1 is a holiday when courts would be closed.
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