Friday was a rough day for proponents of gay marriage, after efforts to repeal gay marriage bans in Colorado and Utah ran up against a few setbacks in court.
This all started last month, when a U.S. Appeals Court ruled Utah's gay marriage ban unconstitutional. The ruling would have gone into effect Monday, when a court-ordered stay on the decision would have expired. (Getty Images)
But on Friday, the Supreme Court ordered Utah to hold off recognizing gay marriages until the appeal is finished. (Via KSTU)
Because Colorado and Utah fall under the same federal court district, that Utah ruling prompted a handful of Colorado county clerks to start issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. (Via KMGH)
That was halted for Denver and Adams County Friday, when the Colorado Supreme Court ordered them to stop issuing the licenses until further appeals are heard. But no other counties were mentioned in the order and at least two other will continue issuing licenses. (Via The Denver Post)
The recent developments in Utah leave more than 1,000 same-sex couples who were married last December during a brief window where it was legal in an odd spot.
A spokesperson for the Utah American Civil Liberties Union is saying all this litigation is preventing many of these couples from finalizing adoption, adding a spouse to their health insurance and receiving many other benefits. (Via The Salt Lake City Tribune)
In an entirely unrelated case, a U.S. Appeals Court ruled that Oklahoma's gay marriage ban was unconstitutional but marriages remain on hold until appeals go through. (Via KJRH)
