Kansas Supreme Court Clears Way For More Gay Marriages In State

Topeka residents Tessy Best and Quinta Avance wait for their marriage application to be processed on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, at the Douglas County Courthouse. in Lawrence, Kan. On Wednesday, a stay was lifted making... Topeka residents Tessy Best and Quinta Avance wait for their marriage application to be processed on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, at the Douglas County Courthouse. in Lawrence, Kan. On Wednesday, a stay was lifted making way for same-sex marriages in Kansas. (AP Photo/The Lawrence Journal-World, Nick Krug) MORE LESS
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has cleared the way for additional gay marriages in the state.

The court on Tuesday evening lifted its hold on marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Johnson County. The justices last month blocked such licenses while reviewing a petition from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

But the Kansas court did not address whether the state’s ban on gay marriage is constitutional. It said it wouldn’t consider the issue until the federal courts resolve a lawsuit filed month on behalf of two lesbian couples.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week told the state it couldn’t continue enforcing its gay-marriage ban while the ACLU’s lawsuit makes its way through the federal courts.

Since then, gay couples have been getting married in some, but not all Kansas counties.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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