Court rules that Kim Davis is no longer breaking the law, because she’s finally letting gays marry
A couple that sued Kim Davis has been awarded $100,000 in damages. (AFP/ Getty/ SAUL LOEB)
A court has ruled that Kim Davis is now compliant with the law – as she is no longer blocking same-sex couples from marrying.
Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky, faced contempt of court action last year when she defied a direct ruling by stopping her office marrying same-sex couples.
However, after a spell in jail, Davis attempted a compromise by making changes to the standard marriage license to remove the need for her to sign them.
Rather than under the authority of clerk Kim Davis, the new Rowan County licenses state they have been issued “pursuant to Federal Court Order” – with Davis agreeing to let her deputies issue the modified licenses to same-sex couples.
Following the change, United States District Judge David Bunning ruled today that Davis is now compliant with the law, as she is no longer blocking same-sex weddings from taking place.
The American Civil Liberties Union had raised concerns about the legality of the licenses, but Branning denied their motion on the grounds that the state considers them valid.
It comes after the state’s new Republican Governor Matt Bevin – a strong ally of Kim Davis – pushed forward plans to change all Kentucky marriage licenses to line up with the ones Davis modified.
ACLU lawyer Ria Mar said: “The bottom line is that all loving couples in Rowan County can now receive marriage licenses, and we’ll continue to fight to ensure that remains the case.”
Davis does not face re-election until 2019.
