124.2 - Good News #2: Federal court orders Ohio to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state

Good News #2: Federal court orders Ohio to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state

Here's another bit on that same topic of the impact of the rejection of the Defense of Marriage Act: For the second time in two months, US District Judge Timothy Black has issued an order requiring the state of Ohio to recognize the out-of-state marriage of a same-sex couple even though Ohio bans same-sex marriages.

Judge Black's order allowed David Michener to be listed as "spouse" on the death certificate of his husband, William Herbert Ives, who died last week. The couple was married in Delaware last summer.

In July, Judge Black had granted an order allowing James Obergefell the right to be listed as "spouse" on John Arthur's death certificate after Obergefell and Arthur were married in Maryland.

In both cases, Black cited the fact that key parts of DOMA had been struck down.

By the way, attitudes have apparently been changing in Ohio since 2004, when the state adopted a constitutional amendment definined marriage as one man and one women. A Quinnipiac University poll from this April found 48% of Ohio voters - and 68% of those between 18 and 34 - support same-sex marriage. There is a plan to bring a pro-same-sex marriage amendment to the state ballot in 2014.

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/ohio-must-recognize-marriage_n_3863068.html