Orange County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell held a press conference Jan. 2 to announce plans for Jan. 6, when same-sex marriage becomes legal in Florida.
Moore Russell received some attention for being cautious about saying she’ll issue the licenses, wanting judicial clarification before she’d commit. She got that ruling Jan. 1, and told reporters it would be “business as usual” around the Clerk’s office Jan. 6, with their regular hours and a “staff prepared to handle a large crowd.”
She said new forms that don’t say “bride” and “groom” have to come from the state Department of Vital Statistics, but until they receive them, applicants can simply change the forms to reflect the labels they want.
“We’re trying to come up with some specific language,” said Karen Yanik, the district manager for the Clerk’s office.
The Orange County Clerk’s office will also be prepared to perform weddings on-site, for a standard $30 fee.
Moore Russell does want to remind couples that there is a 3-day waiting period between applying for and receiving a marriage license in Florida, unless couples complete a marriage course. A list of eligible online courses can be found at the Orange County Clerk’s office website. Also available at that website is a list of other Clerk’s office locations in Orange County – couples don’t necessarily need to come downtown to get married.
Clerk Moore Russell also promised reporters that she would provide an update at close of business Tuesday of how many same-sex couples were married that day.
