CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Same-sex couples across North Carolina lined up for marriage licenses Monday morning — the first full day when they could do so following a judge’s order on Friday striking down the state’s anti-LGBT constitutional amendment.
In Charlotte, more than a dozen couples had lined up at the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds office at a not-so-bright and early 7:15 a.m. Forty-five minutes later, cheers erupted as sheriff’s deputies unlocked the doors and allowed couples to enter.
Terrence Hall and Christopher Decaria were first in line. Together for five years, they wanted the opportunity to marry as soon as they could. After receiving their license, they exited the register’s office and were married in the plaza.
Also among the first to receive their license was Glenda Lawson and Julie Treadway. Together for five years, they had a formal ceremony in 2011, but never went out of state to legally wed.
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Lawson said, “We never thought this would have happened in our lifetime ever never.”
Mecklenburg Register J. David Granberry said he’d issued at least 25 marriage licenses to same-sex couples Monday morning, a number that continued to rise throughout the day. Several were immediately returned after couples wed outside.
As of Monday morning, all 100 counties in North Carolina were issuing licenses to same-sex couples. Over the weekend, Iredell County Register of Deeds Matt McCall had said he might not issue the licenses, requesting special notice from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper or other state officials.
The notice came late Sunday evening in an email to all 100 county registers of deeds from officials at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service.