US: Colorado Supreme Court tells Boulder County to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses

Colorado Supreme Court has ordered Boulder County’s clerk to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses while an appeal from the state’s attorney general is heard.

The ruling came in response to Attorney General John Suthers asking on Monday for the state Supreme Court to stop Boulder County clerk Hillary Hall from issuing licenses.

He stated allowing same-sex couples to marry has caused “statewide confusion and legal chaos.”

Last week, Boulder District Judge Andrew Hartman denied Suthers’ request to stop Hall from issuing same-sex marriage licenses, prompting his appeal to Colorado Supreme Court.

Suthers previously sued Hall to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses earlier this month.

A judge allowed Hall to continue issuing licenses in that case, stating that although same-sex marriage is currently illegal in Colorado, Hall was not harming anyone with her actions.

Earlier this month, Denver and Pueblo counties also started issuing same-sex marriage licenses, but both stopped after a state court order ruled Denver could no longer issue the licenses.

Despite that ruling, Hall continued to issue licenses in Boulder County.

Colorado’s same-sex marriage ban was declared unconstitutional by a judge on 24 July.

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