Federal Judge Strikes Down Indiana's Ban On Gay Marriage

By Lisa White in News on Jun 26, 2014 2:00PM

A federal judge struck down Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage Thursday with a ruling that allowed same-sex couples to wed immediately in the Hoosier State. The Washington Post reports that court clerks in Marion County, where Indianapolis is located, were issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples about an hour after U.S. District Judge Richard Young ruled the current state law violates the equal-protection clause in the U.S. Constitution.

Young, in his decision, wrote the following thoughtful words:

"In Time, Americans will look at the marriage of couples such as [the] Plaintiffs, and refer to it simply as marriage-not a same-sex marriage. These couples, when gender and sexual orientation are taken away, are in all respects like the family down the street. The Constitution demands that we treat them as such"

This ruling came just one day before the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. As expected, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller's staff already filed a notice of appeal and an emergency request for a stay regarding Young's order. This could halt same-sex marriages in Indiana until the outcome of the appeal is decided. The Indianapolis Star reports that legal experts said the decision regarding the request for a stay could happen within a matter of days.

For those living in in the Hoosier State and are wondering what this ruling means for now and in the future, the Indianapolis Star also has a simple Q&A to further understand the decision.