State Agency Sues to Stop Pennsylvania Gay Weddings
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court against Montgomery County Register of Wills Bruce Hanes for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples starting last week.
The lawsuit, filed this morning by the department’s Chief Counsel Alison Taylor, asks that the court immediately compel Hanes to “comply with the [Pennsylvania] Marriage Law and to direct the Clerk to immediately cease and desist issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.”
“Compliance with Pennsylvania law by its public officials is a mandatory obligation,” the lawsuit states. “Ours is a government of laws, not one of public officials exercising their will as they believe the law should be or will be.”
Well, we knew this was coming. It’s going to court. And soon we’ll find out one way or the other whether the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agrees that gay marriage either is or isn’t constitutional.
