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The first legal challenge to the US Supreme Court marriage ruling happens today
Same-sex marriage is in court in the US again today (Monday 13 July), as a Kentucky county clerk plans to argue she should be exempt from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to her Christian faith.
It will be the first major test of the US Supreme Court’s ruling on equal marriage.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis was recently caught on camera refusing to issue a marriage license to David Vincent Moore and his fiancé, who said they have lived in the county for more than 10 years.
The couple applied for a licence following the ruling by SCOTUS that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.
They were among a number of same-sex couples to be refused licenses by the clerk, and told they must go to neighboring counties to obtain licenses.
As a result, on 2 July the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Davis.
In a statement, the organization’s Kentucky Cooperating Attorney, Laura Landenwich, said: ‘Ms. Davis has the absolute right to believe whatever she wants about God, faith, and religion, but as a government official who swore an oath to uphold the law, she cannot pick and choose who she is going to serve, or which duties her office will perform based on her religious beliefs.’
Davis is among dozens of county clerks around the country who have refused to issue marriage licenses since the SCOTUS ruling, often to opposite-sex couples as well as same-sex.
‘I have convictions that rule my conscience,’ she explained to WHAS-TV.
‘I can’t put my name on a marriage license as issued to a same sex couple. God is my first love, and I will stand for Him. And if it means I get thrown out of office, we’ll deal with that when it comes.’
Today’s federal lawsuit in Louisville will allege Davis’ refusal is unconstitutional, and seek an injunction ordering her to begin issuing licenses.
The post The first legal challenge to the US Supreme Court marriage ruling happens today appeared first on Gay Star News.
Hollie Pycroft
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