San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder Same-Sex Marriage Licenses, 2004

Finding aid created by Tami J. Suzuki using RecordEXPRESS
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
http://sfpl.org/sfhistory
July 2015


Descriptive Summary

Title: San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder Same-Sex Marriage Licenses, 2004
Dates: Feb. 12 to March 11, 2004
Collection Number: SFH 89
Creator/Collector: San Francisco (Calif.). Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
Extent: 3.0 cubic feet (3 cartons)
Repository: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Abstract: Contains same-sex marriage licenses issued in San Francisco from Feb. 12, 2004 to March 11, 2004 and later invalidated. Includes a list of applicants.
Language of Material: English

Access

The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours. One record is restricted to Dec. 3, 2033.

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder Same-Sex Marriage Licenses, 2004 (SFH 89), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder on Aug. 28, 2013.

Biography/Administrative History

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom declared same-sex marriage legal on Feb. 11, 2004. Nearly 4000 licenses were issued by Assessor-Recorder Mabel Teng until March 11, 2004, when the California Supreme Court halted the marriages. On Aug 12, 2004, the Court invalidated the unions. However, the same court overturned the state's ban on gay marriage on May 15, 2008, making California only the second state (after Massachusetts) to allow same-sex marriages. That November, voters passed Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment reinstating the ban. Same-sex marriage advocates sued the state of California. On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a lower court's ruling to strike down the ban, legalizing same-sex marriages. Two days later, the Appeals Court announced that same-sex marriages could resume.

Scope and Content

Same-sex marriage licenses issued in San Francisco from Feb. 12, 2004 to March 11, 2004 and later invalidated. Includes a list of applicants, organized in alphabetical order by first name of the first applicant listed on the license. List has both local registration numbers and license numbers. Box 1 has LRNs ending 0462-1861; Box 2 has LRNs ending 1862-3168; Box 3 has LRNs ending 3170-4731.

Arrangement

Documents organized in sequential order of local registration numbers, as issued.

Indexing Terms

Same-sex marriage--California--San Francisco.
Gay marriage--California--San Francisco.
San Francisco (Calif.). Office of the Assessor-Recorder--Archives.