Federal Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin’s Gay Marriage Ban

Gay marriage supporter Steven Webster of Madison, Wis., listens as he and other supporters gather during a debate at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church on Friday, July 9, 2010 in Minneapolis. Delegates t... Gay marriage supporter Steven Webster of Madison, Wis., listens as he and other supporters gather during a debate at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church on Friday, July 9, 2010 in Minneapolis. Delegates to the Presbyterian church's convention in Minneapolis voted Thursday for a more liberal policy on gay clergy but decided not to redefine marriage in their church constitution to include same-sex couples. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) MORE LESS
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Federal judge strikes down Wisconsin’s ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb issued the ruling Friday, but it wasn’t clear whether same-sex marriages could immediately begin.

But the ruling makes Wisconsin the 27th state where same-sex couples can marry under law or where a judge has ruled they ought to be allowed to wed.

Clerks in the state’s two largest cities of Milwaukee and Madison had been preparing for such a ruling by bringing in extra staff to handle an expected flood of marriage-license applicants.

The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of eight same-sex couples.

Gov. Scott Walker has been a strong proponent of the constitutional same-sex marriage ban that was approved by state voters in 2006.

Read the entire decision, below:

Wisconsin Gay Marriage

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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