Federal judge places hold on Wisconsin same-sex marriages News
Federal judge places hold on Wisconsin same-sex marriages

[JURIST] A judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin [official website] on Friday put a hold on same-sex marriages within the state. Many same-sex couples rushed to get married after last week’s ruling [text, PDF] which deemed the state’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional [JURIST report]. It has been reported [USA Today report] that more than 600 marriage licenses were issued after the court’s decision. US District Judge Barbara Crabb placed a hold on same-sex marriages at the request of Wisconsin Attorney JB Van Hollen, who is leading an effort to appeal her previous decision.

Same-sex marriage [JURIST backgrounder] is one of the most controversial topics facing the legal community in America today. In June seven couples filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] in North Dakota to fight the last unchallenged state same-sex marriage ban within the country. In May six couples filed a federal lawsuit [JURIST report] challenging South Dakota’s ban on same-sex marriage. That same day the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana filed a complaint [JURIST report] reviving a challenge to the state’s same-sex marriage ban that was dismissed in December 2012. Also in May a judge for Arkansas’ Pulaski County Circuit Court ruled [JURIST report] that the state ban on court clerks issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Earlier last month five same-sex couples challenged [JURIST report] Alaska’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

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