Same-sex couples can marry immediately — or close to it — nationwide

Today's Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriageshould take effect immediately, or close to it, in the 13 states that don't already allow gay couples to marry.

In some states, including Georgia, it already has:

The second same-sex couple to legally wed at Fulton County courthouse fills out paperwork while choking up. #gapol pic.twitter.com/FwRXvn7Q9F

— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) June 26, 2015

"What can happen and should happen is that states should start issuing marriage licenses almost immediately," James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's LGBT and AIDS Project, told Vox's German Lopez. "Once the Supreme Court rules, it's the law of the land, and they can go forward."

But some state could drag their feet, particularly if they weren't part of the cases the Court heard, by requiring lower federal courts to lift stays or affirm the Supreme Court decision.

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