Colorado AG John Suthers Orders Clerks To Begin Issuing Marriage Licenses To Gay Couples

By Carlos Santoscoy
Published: October 06, 2014

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers on Monday ordered clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

Following the Supreme Court's decision not to hear appeals in cases challenging restrictive marriage bans in Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana and Wisconsin, plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging Colorado's ban asked the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals – which ruled against bans in Utah and Oklahoma – to lift its stay of U.S. District Judge Raymond P. Moore's July ruling striking down Colorado's restrictive marriage ban

Suthers joined in the request and put out a statement stating that clerks must begin issuing licenses once the courts have acted.

“We have consistently maintained that we will abide by the Supreme Court's determination on the constitutionality of marriage laws,” Suthers said. “By choosing not to take up the matter, the court has left the 10th Circuit ruling in place. We expect the 10th Circuit will issue a final order governing Colorado very shortly. Once the formalities are resolved, clerks across the state must begin issuing marriage licenses to all same-sex couples.”

Suthers said he would also ask the Colorado Supreme Court to lift an order his office sought prohibiting Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. Hall began issuing the licenses shortly after the Tenth Circuit struck down Utah's ban.