3/24/14 - They were rushing to the courthouse to say "I do" but now an appeals court says "not so fast" to Michigan's same-sex couples, leaving the fate of the weekend marriages performed and those waiting to wed up in the air. A federal judge ruled Friday evening that Michigan's 2004 voter-approved ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. However, late Saturday a federal appeals court issued a temporary stay in the case, which puts any further same-sex marriages on hold. Ceremonies took place in four counties before the hold on Saturday. Livingston County was not one of them. Clerk Margaret Dunleavy tells WHMI her office will not issue any licenses until a final decision is made and will follow direction from legal counsel, noting that she did receive one phone call from a person inquiring about the process. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum made a last-minute decision to open her Mason office and presided over the state's first-ever same-sex marriage, which is pictured. She says the fact remains that well over 300 couples in Michigan were married, calling it a tremendous achievement towards equality in the state. Byrum says no matter what happens next, Michigan has made history and she's proud to have played a part in the battle. Byrum co-authored a letter that was sent today to the U.S. Attorney General, requesting that he declare the marriages performed on Saturday as "lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits." The letter is attached below. Meanwhile, Equality Michigan has set up an online database of clergy legally able and open to performing same-sex marriage ceremonies, including some from the Brighton, Wixom and Pinckney areas. (JM)
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