Texas women wed in Austin despite state ban on same-sex marriages

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/19/texas-women-same-sex-marriage-ban

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Two women married in Texas on Thursday, despite the state being one of the 13 in the US that does not permit same-sex marriages.

The state supreme court subsequently issued an emergency order blocking same-sex marriages, which the state is one of 13 not to allow.

Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant married in Austin within hours of a judge ordering the Travis County clerk’s office to issue the couple a marriage license for medical reasons. A Rabbi presided over the vows, which took place just outside the clerk’s office. The couple’s daughters and friends attended the ceremony.

“It’s very exciting,” Bryant told the Austin American-Statesman. “My little one was worried about missing her history class. I said we’ll be making history.”

The couple petitioned district judge David Wahlberg to allow the marriage, because Goodfriend has been treated for ovarian cancer and claimed their inability to marry was causing them irreparable harm.

Wahlberg on Thursday ordered county clerk Dana DeBeauvoir to issue the couple a marriage license, just before the wedding took place. He said in his order there was “good cause” to let the marriage go through.

“Given the urgency and other circumstances in this case,” the order said, “and the ongoing violation of plaintiffs’ rights, the court has concluded that good cause exists.”

The state supreme court order will not invalidate Goodfriend and Bryant’s marriage. Texas attorney general Ken Paxton said he was attempting to void that license through unspecified other means.

Earlier, DeBeauvoir emphasized that her office would not be issuing other licenses as the state waits for a final ruling on marriage equality.

“However, this couple may not get the chance to hear the outcome of this issue because of one person’s health,” she said.

Earlier this week, DeBeauvoir commended a ruling by Travis County probate judge Guy Herman that said the state’s ban was unconstitutional. But she has also chosen not to issue marriage licenses while state officials try to block that ruling.

A federal judge ruled the state’s ban unconstitutional in February 2014, but that decision was stayed pending appeal. In January, the fifth circuit court of appeals heard oral arguments appealing bans in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. A ruling is due at any moment.

The US supreme court is set to issue its final ruling on the legality of same-sex marriage by the end of June.