Davis Jailing Spurs AL Judge To Ask For Protection For Religious Objections

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis cries out after being released from the Carter County Detention Center, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Grayson, Ky. Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marri... Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis cries out after being released from the Carter County Detention Center, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Grayson, Ky. Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, was released Tuesday after five days behind bars. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) MORE LESS
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A probate judge in Alabama on Wednesday filed a petition to the state supreme court asking the court to protect officials who refuse to issue or sign marriage licenses for same-sex couples for religious reasons, citing Kentucky clerk Kim Davis’ recent stint in jail.

Probate Judge Nick Williams is one of a few probate judges in Alabama who have refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, according to AL.com.

“The jailing of Kentucky clerk Kimberly B. Davis put at immediate risk the liberty interest of all faithful and religiously sincere public officials in Alabama whose office has responsibility for making decisions as to whether to give sanction and honor to homosexual relationships to include the issuance of a license to engage in sodomy,” a petition filed by Williams’ attorney, Jack Hinton, reads, according to AL.com

Hinton told AL.com that the Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage “effectively criminalizes” officials who hold religious beliefs.

However, according to Randall Marshall, the legal director at ACLU Alabama, there isn’t a threat to officials in Alabama because no probate judge is currently facing a lawsuit for refusing to issue a marriage license.

“Needless to say from our perspective this (Williams’ filing) is the dying gasp of a probate judge,” Marshall told AL.com. “If public officials don’t want to do their jobs then they don’t need to be public officials.”

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  1. Hinton told AL.com that the Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage “effectively criminalizes” officials who [commit crimes].

    Seriously, do the job you swore an oath to do, otherwise you piss off the public and the god you say you follow.

  2. HOMo AGENDA TO tURN uS ALL Into HOMO sINCE THEY can"T make baBIEs LIKE AMericaN PatrIOTs WHO MAKe BABIes WITh their PRivates.

  3. Avatar for wwss wwss says:

    It’s not the ruling that makes their actions illegal … it’s their actions. And this man claims to be a judge?

  4. As a probate judge, I wonder if the judge allows a divorced person to leave their estate to their second spouse?

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