Same-sex couple sues Texas county clerk in federal court for refusing to issue marriage license

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Houston Chronicle

Same-sex couple sues Texas county clerk in federal court for refusing to issue marriage license

By Joshua Fechter | July 6, 2015 | Updated: July 6, 2015 12:36pm

A same-sex couple is moving forward with a lawsuit filed Monday against a North Texas county clerk who initially refused to issue them a marriage license.

Jim Cato and Joe Stapleton, who have been together for 27 years, tried repeatedly to obtain a marriage license from Hood County Clerk Katie Lang's office since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage on June 26, according to the lawsuit obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

Lang, who initially cited religious opposition to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, issued Cato and Stapleton a license Monday morning, hours after two Austin attorneys filed the lawsuit in Fort Worth federal court, said Jan Soifer, one of the attorneys representing the couple.

Soifer said they will not drop the lawsuit "until and unless we have an agreement from Clerk Lang that her office will issue marriage licenses to all couples, gay and straight, without delay" in addition to "agreement to pay the couple's legal fees."


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/local/article/Same-sex-couple-sues-Texas-county-clerk-in-6368284.php?cmpid=rrhoustontx

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[center]

A same-sex couple in Granbury have sued Hood County Clerk
Katie Lang (pictured) for refusing to issue them a marriage
license. Lang has said that her office will issue licenses, but it
will take several weeks to obtain the necessary paperwork.[/center]

[hobbit709]

1. "but it will take several weeks to obtain the necessary paperwork"

Just how long does it take to download the new marriage certificate form from the State website with the wording changed to Spouse1 and Spouse2 and then hit the print button?

[ybbor]

4. That's exactly what I was thinking

When I got married it took longer to find a parking space than to fill out the paper work. Total BS.

Sue the shit out of her bigoted arse.

[Coventina]

2. Good. It's a slam-dunk case.

The clerk is breaking the law.

[irisblue]

3. Good!

ask for damages too, and expenses.

[marble falls]

5. Our about to be indicted for felony securities fraud attorney general wrote all the ....

county clerks in the state and told them in his opinion they didn't have to issue licenses if it went against their religion. He told them state law overrode the SCOTUS.

[RoccoR5955]

7. Perhaps he wants company in jail. n/t

[Major Nikon]

6. I hope this pathetic piece of dogshit has to pay their legal fees out of her own pocket

It would be a shame for county taxpayers to pay for her flagrant bigotry.

[TexasTowelie]

8. She will.

Virtually every county in Texas has issued guidance that they won't cover settlements or legal expenses.

[Raster]

14. Yes and MIRACULOUSLY most of the "can't do it because of religious bullshit" crowd...

....seem to change their stance and their can't do it tune when it becomes apparent that not only will the States and the Counties NOT indemnify their illegal behavior, but that they will also have to front all of their own legal bills.

[Lobo27]

9. I Blame our AG for a lot this BS as well.

[C Moon]

10. "ha ha!"

[SunSeeker]

11. Well that was predictable. What a dumbass this clerk was. nt

[niyad]

12. what a piece of work this religious zealot is.

RELATED: Austin councilman compares same-sex marriage to pedophilia in Facebook post

The lawsuit said "Clerk Lang asked everyone to leave the office, stating that no media was allowed. Jim replied that he and Joe are not media, but instead are taxpayers of Hood County, there to get their marriage license, but the Clerk said they needed to leave as well, humiliating them for seeking a marriage license. Clerk Lang also apparently called the Sheriff's Department, which sent over approximately half a dozen deputy sheriffs to stand guard outside and immediately inside the Clerk's office.

[davidpdx]

13. So she issued a marriage license for one couple over her own religious opposition

because of a lawsuit, but won't to any other couple. Well she just created a bigger problem for herself. Congrats!

[yellowcanine]

15. Yes, "I didn't think you would sue me" does not cut it as a defense.