Business as usual, County Registrar Lois Mooring says
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 12, 2014 1:50 AM
It should be business as usual when the Wayne County Register of Deeds office opens Monday despite a federal judge's ruling late Friday that overturned the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
At least that is what Wayne County Registrar of Deeds Lois Mooring said her plans are.
"I don't plan to do anything different," she said Saturday. "It will be business as usual."
Mrs. Mooring said she is not anticipating the frenzy of activity that was seen in some registers of deeds offices, such as in Wake County, following the Friday ruling allowing gay and lesbian couples across the state to marry immediately.
Mrs. Mooring said her office received only two phone calls prior to the ruling, both asking the same question: If same-sex marriage licenses could be issued.
The answer was no at that time.
But even with the ruling, she does not expect her office, which is responsible for issuing marriage licenses, to be inundated with people asking for a same-sex marriage license.
But if they do, they, like everyone else, will have to pay a $60 fee. Also required is identification, a Social Security card and a birth certificate if either party is under the age of 21.
Mrs. Mooring said what she would be doing Monday is talking to legal counsel for a full explanation of the ruling.
She also plans to talk with the state's Vital Records Division about new marriage forms.
"All that I have now say bride and groom," she said. "We could use Whiteout, but it would look ugly, and I am particular about how my forms look. Some people want to frame them."