September 12th, 2013
04:56 PM ET

Pennsylvania judge orders clerk to obey same-sex marriage ban

A Pennsylvania judge on Thursday ordered a suburban Philadelphia county clerk to comply with the state's same-sex marriage ban and stop issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

Since July, D. Bruce Hanes, the elected Montgomery County register of wills, has given out 174 licenses to same-sex couples, ignoring a 1996 state law that defines marriage as "between one man and one woman."

The state Department of Health sued to stop Hanes, saying he is in "direct defiance" of the ban and "risks causing serious and limitless harm to the public."

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Filed under: Gay and lesbian • Pennsylvania • Same-sex marriage
soundoff (8 Responses)
  1. banasy©

    Although I support gay marriage rights, they are not legal in PA yet; and although I suspect that this clerk was just trying to give these couples hope, he was clearly wrong.
    That being said, I don't know how issuing licenses that aren't worth the paper they're written “risk causing serious and limitless harm to the public.” The people obtaining them know they're not legal.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:22 pm | Report abuse |
  2. banasy©

    Short response: clerk was wrong, but had his heart in the right place. Don't know what “risks causing serious and limitless harm to the public.” are; seems a hysterical response to me.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:29 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    If I lived in Philadelphia, I'd probably prefer to get married in New York City or Washington anyway. Can you imagine anyone's travelling to Pittsburgh to get married?
    Don't businesses make a killing off weddings? Especially cake bakers? Hey–"we stayed in the finest wedding suite in Pittsburgh." Huh?

    September 12, 2013 at 8:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Sure, but the problem there is it isn't recognized in PA, so the NY or DC marriage would hold no legal standing.
      Western PA is beautiful.

      September 12, 2013 at 9:55 pm | Report abuse |
  4. banasy©

    Think he'll spontaneously combust?
    Don't mess with Karma.

    September 12, 2013 at 10:42 pm | Report abuse |
  5. banasy©

    Ah, my little swishy maricon rupert, you will find your bf one day. Don't give up. He's out there.

    September 12, 2013 at 11:52 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Jeff Frank (R-Ohio) "Right Wing Insanity"

    Blocked

    September 12, 2013 at 11:53 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Jeff Frank (R-Ohio) "Right Wing Insanity"

    He did obey the ban. He just didn't do his job. Give him a layoff.

    September 13, 2013 at 9:12 am | Report abuse |
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