UPDATE: Same-Sex Marriage Could Come to Collingswood Next Week

UPDATE: 6 p.m. Oct. 18 - The New Jersey state Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriages can begin on Monday on a provisional basis, according to reports from nj.com.

A final ruling will come next year, but the Supreme Court ruled “the public interest does not favor a stay,” according to the report.

UPDATE: 11:40 a.m. Oct. 18 - Collingswood Mayor James Maley announced that borough hall will be accepting applications for marriage starting at noon today.

The Borough will also open the Collingswood Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday to receive marriage license applications. Ceremonies may be performed within 72 hours of an application being received, the mayor said, and licenses will be issued at that time.

Maley did caution that licenses could still be stayed by the state Supreme Court. 

"We are sorry for all of this confusion, but the state Attorney General's office has chosen to provide no guidance to either state or municipal officials on implementation of the court's decision," Maley said in a Facebook post.

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After the ruling of Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson cleared the way for same-sex marriage to take effect in New Jersey, Collingswood could see its first ceremonies performed as early as next week.

Barring an objection to the ruling filed by the Christie administration, borough clerk Holly Mannel will accept applications for marriage licenses immediately. 

A mandatory 72-hour waiting period means that there won't be any immediate hitchings, but Mayor James Maley said he's clearing the decks for next week to accommodate requests as they become available.

"I am setting aside time to do ceremonies later next week," Maley told Patch in an e-mail. "People can contact Borough Clerk [Mannel] to schedule [their] ceremony."

Maley also pointed out that any plans ultimately will be conditional upon a decision from the New Jersey State Supreme Court on a request from the state attorney general to hold off on issuing marriage licenses until the Court hears a fast-tracked case in January.

"If a Court waives the wait, then away we go," Maley said in a Facebook group posting. "I'll officiate as soon as the knot can legally be tied."

Maley, who has performed a number of civil unions in New Jersey, has said that the issue is a civil liberties matter.

“All the time we’ve gone through this in New Jersey, for me it’s always just been a matter of equality under the law,” Maley said.

As of the 2010 census, Collingswood is home to an estimated 132 unmarried, same-sex couples: 77 male-male and 55 female-female. Of those households, 22 are raising children (10 male-male and 11 female-female couples).

Comparatively, the 2010 census also estimates that Collingswood is home to 576 unmarried-partner households, 444 of which are heterosexual couples. Of those, 122 are raising children. 

There are also an estimated 2,320 traditional husband-wife households in the borough, 990 of which are raising children.