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.
