Utah's Issued Same-Sex Marriages Still Unresolved

by Brig Bagley

13 March 2014

Four same-sex couples sued the state of Utah for refusing to recognize their marriage performed in Utah. The stay issued by the US Supreme Court was meant to put further marriages on hold until a decision was made concerning the Amendment 3 ruling. It was not stated anywhere that legally performed marriages were all of a sudden void. The state seems to think so. It would be the first time ever that a marriage was voided by the government if Utah decided to invalidate those performed when it was legal. 

The 10th Circuit Court is now reviewing the case to make a decision on Judge Shelby's ruling on Amendment 3. In the meantime, same-sex couples have to put on hold their plans for adopting children, fear that major health decisions can't be made in an emergency, and hope that an accident doesn't strand a child from a parent who cannot yet legally receive custody. 

Opinions rage on for both parties on the sidelines while waiting for the score at the end of the court rulings. The outcome it likely to fall in line with the rulings of at least 7 other Federal judges that have upheld the rights of same-sex couples, striking down voted-in laws banning their marriages. Since people are so willing to tell gays to get married in another state or country, let's see how willing they are to leave the state or country to get away from it once it is legal.