Pennsylvania Clerk Ordered to Stop Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

As I have previously discussed, the Pennsylvania HealthDepartment under Republican Governor Tom Corbett sued the Montgomery CountyRegister of Wills D. Bruce Hanes to stop him from issuing marriage licenses tosame-sex couples.  Despite Pennsylvania’slaw defining marriage as between a man and woman, Hanes issued 164 marriagelicenses of which 98 were completed and filed.

Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini ordered Hanes tostop issuing licenses, stating it is up to the General Assembly or Pennsylvaniacourts to determine whether the law should not be obeyed or enforced.

A challenge to Pennsylvania’s same-sex marriage ban is nowpending in federal court; however, it is not immediately clear what will happento the couples who have already received licenses.

See AssociatedPress, Pa. Judge Orders End to Same-SexMarriage Licenses, The Times-Tribune, Sept. 12, 2013.