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Cook County, Ill., approaches 1,000 marriage licenses to same-sex couples

Cook County, Ill., approaches 1,000 marriage licenses to same-sex couples

IllinoisCHICAGO — Cook County, Ill., has issued almost 1,000 marriage licenses since it was allowed to do so by a court ruling.

“We’ve had 950 license applications thus far and expect 1,000 by Friday,” said Courtney Greve, a spokeswoman for Cook County Clerk David Orr. “We also expect the numbers to go up because of planned summer weddings and the 60-day period it takes to get a license.”

Out-of state couples accounted for 20 percent of the licenses issued, the majority being from neighboring Indiana, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

A state law legalizing same-sex marriage takes effect June 1, but a federal judge in Chicago ruled Feb. 21 that Illinois’ original ban was unconstitutional, although her ruling applied specifically to plaintiffs in Cook County.

State Attorney General Lisa Madigan later issued an opinion that same-sex marriage could commence statewide, although most counties are waiting until June 1.

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