San Francisco Wants Advance Warning of End to Gay-Marriage Ban

Well, it will be a big deal in that town

SAN FRANCISCO—If the U.S. Supreme Court ends the legal challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage, San Francisco city officials want to be prepared for a deluge of attention and couples ready to tie the knot.

In a letter sent to a federal appeals court on Tuesday, the San Francisco city attorney's office asked for 24 hours notice in the event court action puts an end to Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on gay marriages in California.

San Francisco officials predict a crush of same-sex marriage requests if the U.S. Supreme Court decides as soon as next week to let stand an appeals court ruling declaring Proposition 8 unconstitutional. As a result, they would like advance notice of when such marriages would actually be legal, both to provide security and also the ability to process marriage licenses at the epicenter of the gay marriage movement.