Posted yesterday and moved up, because you gotta file today in order to get married on Sunday.

After learning that City Hall is fully booked for weddings on December 9, the first day gay couples can legally wed in Washington State, King County Superior Court judge Susan Craighead called this afternoon to let me know that judges have made a plan. Judges will come into the courthouse on their day off, unpaid, to meet the demand.

Many people were told there was no room left at City Hall, Judge Craighead said on the phone, and wanted me to post this to help get the word out. "The building isn't even heated, but we are willing to be in our courtrooms marrying people as needed. The court just realized that the community needs our services, and we are happy to provide them."

With one courtroom opening at midnight, seven judges and one judicial officer will begin shifts to marry people until 8:00 p.m. (This also means, of course, that the couple first in line at City Hall won't be the first to get gay-married.) Couples need to call ahead to schedule services. I've posted phone numbers for the judges and their statement with more details after the jump.

And obviously, this is awesome.

UPDATE Thursday at 6:10 PM: King County spokesman Cameron Satterfield writes to say that "communication may have gotten crossed" and "the heat WILL be on on Sunday." HURRAH! Hot, hot weddings!

Here is the statement form Judge Craighead:

The King County Superior Court judges have learned that Seattle City Hall was unable to accommodate all of the couples who wish to wed on Sunday, December 9th. Some of our judicial officers have volunteered to come to the King County Courthouse on their own time on Sunday to do what they can to help, at no charge. Because of security arrangements at the Courthouse, couples MUST schedule a time for their wedding with one of the judicial officers listed below and make the necessary arrangements to be let in. They will also need to have obtained their marriage license on the 6th and bring that with them. Couples will need to bring two adult witnesses. If a couple wishes to schedule with one of the Superior Court judges, please call their bailiff at the number below on a first-come, first-serve basis. The courthouse is not heated on the weekend, so please dress accordingly. In the event that couples would like to schedule weddings on a later date, the complete list of judicial officers available to perform weddings can be found at http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/SuperiorCourt/civil/weddings.aspx.

Judicial Officers who are available are:

Judge Mary Yu: midnight to 7 a.m. (296-9275)

Judge Kimberley Prochnau: 9-11 (296-9260)

Judge Carol Schapira: 10:30 to noon (296-9150)

Judge Richard McDermott: 11-1 (296-9115)

Judge Bruce Heller: noon to 4 (296-9085)

Commissioner Meg Sassaman : noon-4 (205-3908)

Judge Judith Ramseyer: 4-7 p.m. (296-9213)

Judge Tim Bradshaw: 5-8 p.m. (296-9135)