Nevada Weddings Finally Begin

Written by scott on October 10th, 2014

It’s been a bumpy road over the last several days, but weddings have finally begin for same sex couples in Nevada.

Here’s what happened yesterday. First off, the Supreme Court admitted it had mistakenly blocked marriage equality in the state when it issued its stay for Iowa.

The Huffington Post reports:

The Supreme Court spokeswoman says Justice Anthony Kennedy mistakenly blocked the start of same-sex marriage in Nevada in an order that spawned confusion among state officials and disappointment in couples hoping to be wed. Spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Thursday that Kennedy’s order issued a day earlier was an error that the justice corrected with a second order several hours later. By that time, however, Nevada officials had decided to hold off on issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until they could be certain the legal situation was settled.

Then the group that had tried to intervene to preserve the ban dropped its challenge. SDGLN reports:

An anti-gay group that on Wednesday filed paperwork with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in Nevada’s gay-marriage case on Thursday withdrew its motions. The anti-gay Coalition for the Protection of Marriage did not give a reason for the withdrawals, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Lambda Legal, which challenged Nevada’s ban in district and appellate courts, confirmed to the newspaper that the motions were withdrawn on Thursday morning. One reason could be that the group has no legal standing in the court to defend “traditional” marriage between one man, one woman. The State of Nevada has declined to defend the ban, agreeing with both the district court and Ninth Circuit ruling that the ban is unconstitutional.

Then a Federal Judge signed an injunction to allow weddings to begin in the state. The Reno Gazette Journal reports:

The legal filing states the state and its political subdivisions cannot enforce any law that prevents “otherwise qualified same-sex couples from marrying, or denying recognition to marriages celebrated in other jurisdictions which, if the spouses were not of the same sex, would be valid under the laws of the state.”

Governor Sandoval and Attorney General Masto agreed it was a done deal. The Reno Gazette Journal reports:

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto issued joint statements on Thursday evening after a federal judge signed an injunction allowing gay marriage in Nevada. “This action brings finality to the issue of same sex marriage in Nevada,” Sandoval said. Cortez Masto said: “Based on this most recent action from the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada there are no remaining legal requirements that prevent Nevada county clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.”

Then the Ninth Circuit concurred. The Reno Gazette Journal reports:

A federal appeals court has again declared that same-sex couples can get married in Nevada. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Thursday that its ruling striking down Nevada’s gay marriage ban is “in full force and effect.” The appeals court ordered a trial court judge in Las Vegas to adopt its ruling as soon as possible.

Las Vegas weding chapels are ready for the new newlyweds. Watermarkreports:

Las Vegas saw this moment coming and prepared accordingly. The county’s marriage licenses went gender-neutral a couple weeks ago, just in case. The Chapel of the Flowers had its photographers practice with models to see how they might best shoot two brides in gowns. Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapels, which is gay-owned and operated, already hosts about 500 same-sex commitment ceremonies each year, said General Manager Brian Mills, who doubles as an officiant, often times in costume. In October, one of the chapel’s busiest months, he could be Dracula for one couple and the Grim Reaper the next.

And wedding licenses are now being officially issued to same sex couples in the state. On Top Magazine reports:

Nevada officials in one county have started issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, two days after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco struck down restrictive marriage bans in Nevada and Idaho.

Wedding bells are now starting to ring all across Nevada!

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