Responding to Shortage, Judges Will Open Courtrooms on Sunday to Marry Gay Couples

Posted yesterday and moved up, because you gotta file today in order to get married on Sunday.

After learning that City Hall is fully booked for weddings on December 9, the first day gay couples can legally wed in Washington State, King County Superior Court judge Susan Craighead called this afternoon to let me know that judges have made a plan. Judges will come into the courthouse on their day off, unpaid, to meet the demand.

Many people were told there was no room left at City Hall, Judge Craighead said on the phone, and wanted me to post this to help get the word out. "The building isn't even heated, but we are willing to be in our courtrooms marrying people as needed. The court just realized that the community needs our services, and we are happy to provide them."

With one courtroom opening at midnight, seven judges and one judicial officer will begin shifts to marry people until 8:00 p.m. (This also means, of course, that the couple first in line at City Hall won't be the first to get gay-married.) Couples need to call ahead to schedule services. I've posted phone numbers for the judges and their statement with more details after the jump.

And obviously, this is awesome.

UPDATE Thursday at 6:10 PM: King County spokesman Cameron Satterfield writes to say that "communication may have gotten crossed" and "the heat WILL be on on Sunday." HURRAH! Hot, hot weddings!

Here is the statement form Judge Craighead: