After the district judge in Midland County, Mich., decided to stop performing any marriages in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, county clerk Ann Manary started performing the ceremonies herself.
“Our district court is no longer performing marriages,” Manary told MLive.com. “I’m not sure exactly what he’s thinking there.”
District Judge Michael Carpenter decided earlier this week not to perform marriages because he says he’s not required to by state statutes, according to the Midland Daily News.
Manary told MLive.com that she started granting marriage license applications to gay couples on Friday and that she has also performed a couple of ceremonies. She is the only person in the clerk’s office permitted by state law to perform marriages, according to MLive.
“We’re definitely one-stop shopping here at the clerk’s office right now,” Manary said.
She plans on discussing the issue with Midland County Chief Judge Stephen Carras when he returns form vacation next week.
Since the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry on Friday, numerous local officials have resigned or refused to issue marriage licenses in order to avoid marrying gay couples.
Good for her. Definitely on the right side of history. Thank you, Ms Manary #ThankYouAnnManary
If you read the article in the Midland paper, the judge is framing it as a cost saving measure, since they reduced the number of assigned judges from 2 to 1 and he’s limited by statute as to what can be charged to perform the ceremony. I have enormous difficulty believing that’s the real reason.
I’m pretty sure the Federal Law as issued by the Supreme Court trumps state statutes. Time for this judge to retire or be impeached.
I’m just shocked this is from Midland and not Holland.
IS GAY adoPT OK yet IN MichigAN? GAys NEed a WaY TO PReserve THEir speCIEs and cANNOT do IT the CHristIAN way, PraYING for BABies, sO theY NEed TO BraINwasH YOUth to BE DeviANTs.