Same-sex marriage continues in Utah after federal judge’s ruling
A federal judge declined Monday to halt same-sex marriages in Utah as the state appeals his earlier ruling that overturned Utah’s same-sex marriage ban and declared it unconstitutional.halt while the state appeals Shelby’s ruling that Utah’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional. Reuters reports that about 900 couples lined up in Salt Lake City early Monday to obtain marriage licenses, which the Salt Lake County clerk’s office began issuing Friday.
Related: Ohio must recognize same-sex marriages held out of state, judge rules.
- Shauna Griffen (left) and Brooke Shepherd show their rings after getting married at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, Dec. 23, 2013. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby in Utah on Monday refused to block his own order making same-sex marriage legal in the state, denying a request to do so by Governor Gary Herbert. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- People line up to get marriage licenses at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, December 23, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Jax Collins (left) and Heather Collins get married at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, Dec. 23, 2013. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby in Utah on Monday refused to temporarily block his own order making same-sex marriage legal in the state. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Jax (left) and Heather Collins share a kiss after getting married at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, Dec. 23, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Shauna Griffen (left) and Brooke Shepherd get married at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, Dec. 23, 2013. Same-sex marriages began Friday after a federal judge overturned Utah’s ban on same-sex marriages. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Tarah Camarillo (from left), her partner Nicole Barnes, Leighton Hilburn and his partner Preston Perry wait in line with hundreds of other people to apply for a marriage license at the Salt Lake County Clerks office in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 23, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Nathan London (left) and his partner Alan Britton get married at the Salt Lake County Government Building in Salt Lake City, Dec. 23, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Natalie Dicou (left) and her partner Nicole Christensen wait to get married at the Salt Lake County clerk’s office in Salt Lake City, Friday, December 20, 2013. A federal judge struck down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional on Friday, handing a major victory to LGBT rights activists in a state where the Mormon church wields considerable influence. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Natalie Dicou (left) and her partner Nicole Christensen wait to get married at the Salt Lake County clerk’s office in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 20, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- Ruth (left) and Kim Hackford-Peer sign their marriage certificate after getting married as Reverend Curtis Price watches at the Salt Lake County office building in Salt Lake City. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- The first gay couple to be married in Utah, Michael Ferguson (second from right) and his husband Seth Anderson kiss as Blake Ferguson (left) and his girlfriend Danielle Morgan watch. The pair married at the Salt Lake County clerk’s office in Salt Lake City, after a federal judge on Friday struck down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage on Dec. 20, 2013. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
Gay marriages to proceed in Utah as judge refuses to block ruling
Jennifer Dobner, Reuters
December 23, 2013
SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) – Same-sex marriages were allowed to proceed in Utah after a federal judge on Monday refused to block his own ruling making gay marriage legal in the state.
U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, who ruled last week that Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the rights of gay couples to due process and equal protection under the U.S. Constitution, said the state had not met the legal standards required for him to issue a stay against his ruling.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert has already filed a formal notice signaling he would appeal the ruling, even as about 900 couples lined up in the cold early on Monday to obtain marriage licenses from the county clerk’s office in Salt Lake City.