Wyoming is feeling the pressure to comply with the 10th Circuit ruling handed out earlier this year following the Supreme Court's refusal on Monday to hear its appeal.
Laramie County Clerk Debra Lathrop and a legal team representing same-sex couples have jointly asked the Laramie County District Court to immediately rule on when and if Lathrop can begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
And National Center for Lesbian Rights and Wyoming Equality today filed a federal lawsuit demanding immediate compliance with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling establishing that a state's refusal to allow same-sex couples to marry violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, NCLR reports:
The couples are Anne Guzzo and Bonnie Robinson of Laramie, Carl Oleson and Rob Johnston of Casper, Ivan Williams and Chuck Killion of Cheyenne, who previously filed a state-court lawsuit challenging Wyoming's marriage ban. Also joining the lawsuit are Brie Barth and Shelly Montgomery of Carpenter, who attempted to obtain a marriage license in Wyoming after the Supreme Court decision but were refused. Wyoming Equality is the state's largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Wyoming's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Its members include same-sex couples throughout the state.
Barth and Montgomery, via Wyoming Unites:
BREAKING: Same-sex couple applies for marriage license in Laramie County. http://t.co/uyng4M2XzL #WY4M #lgbt pic.twitter.com/CCYQegoJ4i
— Wyoming Unites (@WY4Marriage) October 7, 2014
Wyoming Unites writes:
By denying review of Utah and Oklahoma's marriage cases, SCOTUS allowed the 10th Circuit ruling striking down marriage bans in both states to stand. And because the 10th Circuit also has jurisdiction over Wyoming, we are hopeful that it is only a matter of time until the freedom to marry is law here at home too.
That's why this morning, Shelly and Brie—a committed same-sex couple who call Wyoming home—went to the Laramie County Clerk to apply for a marriage license. The couple was denied, but lawyers have now filed a motion on their behalf asking the Laramie County Clerk to rule immediately as to when clerks can begin issuing licenses to Wyoming's same-sex couples.
Read the NCLR complaint below:
