NEWS San Francisco's gay marriages in great demand, couples turned away Tami Min | February 16, 2004 SAN FRANCISCO — Demand for same-sex marriage licenses has been so great that on Sunday officials here turned away scores of gay and lesbian couples lined up outside City Hall, saying they simply didn't have the time or resources to meet all the requests. San Francisco authorities calculated they could process 400 licenses during special weekend hours - but had already given numbers to 320 couples who first came Saturday to get married. After quickly distributing another 80 numbers Sunday morning, disappointed couples lined up around the block were asked to return Monday. "We're at capacity right now," said Mabel Teng, the official who oversees marriage licenses for city government. "We normally do about 20-30 couples a day. We're doing about 50-60 an hour." In a controversial challenge to both legal and social convention, San Francisco officials began issuing same-sex licenses and officiating at City Hall marriages on Thursday. The city has gone out of its way to provide the services - City Hall is normally closed on Sundays. The decision prompted two conservative groups to press for court intervention. But on Friday a judge allowed the weddings to continue through the weekend. The issue returns to court Tuesday, when judges will hear separate requests from advocates of traditional marriage to void the licenses and order the city to stop giving them out. The two organizations argue that the licenses violate state law, which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. San Francisco officials counter that they are legally binding documents that take a swipe at discrimination against same-sex couples. By the end of Sunday, San Francisco officials expect to have inked well over 1,000 same-sex marriage licenses in four days. – Sapa-AP Related stories San Francisco to marry same-sex couples [13/02/2004] Massachusetts awaits vote on gay marriage [12/02/2004]