The Arkansas Supreme Court has refused to issue a stay to suspend same-sex marriage in the state, a week after a circuit judge ruled a ban on the unions unconstitutional. Since the ruling last week, hundreds of same-sex couples have gotten marriage licenses. Despite that ruling, new marriages in the state have been suspended.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza ruled the ban unconstitutional on May 9 and the first marriage licences were handed out on Saturday morning. However, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel requested a stay, saying that county clerks were still not sure if they had to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, reports KTHV-TV. That request has been denied.
However, according to 5NewsOnline, this ruling does not mean that new same-sex marriage licenses can be granted. The Supreme Court noted that Piazza failed to make a clear ruling on a law that bans county clerks from giving same-sex marriage licenses. That will be on the books until Piazza finally makes that ruling.
According to Slate, that issue should be cleared up soon, as the plaintiffs vowed to go back to Piazza as soon as possible to get him to make a ruling on that law. Once that happens, McDaniel could take the case back to the Supreme Court again.