US: Utah asks for US Supreme Court to block ruling to recognise same-sex marriages

The US state of Utah has asked the US Supreme Court in an emergency appeal to block a ruling instructing the state to recognise the marraiges of hundreds of same-sex couples in the state.

Over 1000 gay couples married in the state, where same-sex marriage was legalised for 17 days after a judge ruled in December that the state’s marriage ban is unconstitutional.

However, on January 6, the US Supreme Court stayed the ruling, putting the marriage ban back in place and causing some to doubt the legality of the marriages.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the state must begin to recognise those marriages, despite the ongoing battle over marriage equality.

On Wednesday state officials filed the emergency appeal, asking the US Supreme Court to block the ruling by the appeals court, saying recognising those marriages would be too disruptive.

The appeal was addressed to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and was sent by Governor Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes.

It said ordering the state to recognise the marriages was “premature and unwarranted.”

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