Arkansas Judge Strikes Down State Ban On Same-Sex Marriage

This is a trend since the strike down of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Circuit Court Judge Christopher Piazza issued the decision — finding both a state statute and constitutional amendment to violate the U.S. Constitution — following a hearing in the case last month.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, a Democrat who last week said he supports same-sex couples’ marriage rights but would continue defending the state’s ban on such marriages, will appeal the ruling.

“We respect the Court’s decision, but, in keeping with the Attorney General’s obligation to defend the state constitution, we will appeal. We will request that Judge Piazza issue a stay of his ruling so as not to create confusion or uncertainty about the law while the Supreme Court considers the matter,” per a statement from McDaniel’s spokesman provided to the Arkansas Times.

If no stay is granted, then — as happened in Utah and Michigan — it is expected that same-sex couples will seek to marry in Arkansas come Monday morning.

By: Cheston Catalano

Cheston Catalano is a Kentucky-based journalist whose work has been featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. He is a long-time contributor to Liberaland.