LANSING (WKZO) — With the deadline approaching on Thursday, the State of Michigan will not appeal a federal judges ruling that they must recognize the 323 same sex marriages conducted in the short window between Judge Bernard Friedman’s ruling striking down the State’s ban, and the Appellate Court’s stay.
Governor Rick Snyder saying “The judge has determined that same-sex couples were legally married on that day, and we will follow the law and extend state marriage benefits to those couples.”
It puts the state in an unusual position, because the the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the State’s Ban is constitutional and remains in effect.
It does not mean that the state has to recognize same sex marriages conducted in the other states where it is now legal.
The Governor goes on to say that he appreciates the fact that the Supreme Court has decided to take up the issue and settle it, so the state can “move forward on the other challenges we face”.
