On Tuesday, Governer Steve Beshear disclosed that the state will be hiring third-party lawyers to assist them with the reversal of a judge's ruling about the legalization of same-sex couples who had gotten married in other states in Kentucky. Fox News said the announcement followed the decision of the state's attorney general to not pursue the controversial case further.
On February 12, US District Judge John G Heyburn declared that the legal ban on same-sex unions was unconstitutional in terms of the equal-protection clause in the 14th Amendment as the state ban would strip gays and lesbians of their rights equal to that of a man and a woman.
In a written statement, Beshear warned the implications of lifting the ban on same-sex union recognition in the state. He said, "Other Kentucky courts may reach different and conflicting decisions. Employers, health care providers, governmental agencies and others faced with changing rules need a clear and certain roadmap. Also, people may take action based on this decision only to be placed at a disadvantage should a higher court reverse the decision."
Fox News said that the case leading to the lifting of the ban was of two same-sex couples who had been married for over a decade. The couples were seeking to make their marriage legal in Kentucky. Heyburn, in his ruling, clarified that the state is not required to issue a marriage license to same-sex couples as it is of a different discussion. Fox News said that Heyburn will be issuing a rule about the marriage license by summer as it is related to the lawsuit filed by the same-sex couples.
The news outlet said that the ruling issued by Heyburn will have Kentucky recognize same-sex couples in terms of allowing them to make amendments to their official documents and obtain the same state privileges accorded to a married couple in the state.
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