Florida's ban on same-sex marriage ended statewide at the stroke of midnight on Monday, and court clerks in some Florida counties wasted no time, issuing marriage licenses overnight to same-sex couples.

But they still were beaten to the punch by a Miami judge who found no need to wait until the statewide ban expired. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel presided over Florida's first legally recognized same-sex marriages on Monday afternoon.

Zabel said she saw no reason why same-sex couples couldn't immediately get their marriage licenses.