The chief judge of the 10th Judicial District in Johnson County, Kan., has ordered clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
"In the interest of justice and to avoid the uncertainty that has arisen in light of recent federal court rulings about the constitutionality of state constitutional and/or statutory prohibitions against marriage by same-sex individuals," Chief Judge Kevin P. Moriarty wrote in a ruling issued late Wednesday afternoon, "the clerk of the district court is hereby directed to issue marriage licenses to all individuals, including same-sex individuals, provided they are otherwise qualified to marry."
Moriarty cited recent decisions by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals that prohibits against same-sex marriage in Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah were unconstitutional. The 10th Circuit also includes Kansas, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Doug Bonney, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, applauded Moriarty's ruling.
"It means that marriage is for everybody in Johnson County. And that's a great thing," Bonney said.
