Marriage License Issued to Same-Sex Couple in Texas

Scott Cramer/iStock/Thinkstock(AUSTIN, Texas) — Travis County Clerk Dana Debeauvoir issued the state of Texas’ first same-sex marriage license on Thursday, in compliance with a court order.

According to a news release from the Travis County Clerk’s Office, Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant received their marriage license Thursday. Earlier in the day, federal judge David Wahlberg signed a court order demanding that Debeauvoir “cease and desist relying on the unconstitutional Texas prohibitions against same-sex marriage as a basis for not issuing a marriage license” in the case of this particular couple. The couple was singled out because one of the women has “severe and immediate health concerns.”

The news release from the Travis County Clerk’s Office said because “this couple may not get the chance to hear the outcome” of the marriage equality debate, the marriage license was issued prior to a final decision from the court system. “It is important to note that this order applies only to the medically fragile couple who brought the court action,” the TCCO says.

 

Congratulations to Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant on their wedding. pic.twitter.com/R8muzrqw96

— Texas Democrats (@TXDemParty) February 19, 2015

The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday granted a request from state Attorney General Ken Paxton for a stay to block the granting of a marriage license to Goodfriend and Bryant.

Paxton released a statement on the state court’s ruling, saying that the action “upholds our state constitution and stays these rulings by activist judges in Travis County.” He added that the marriage license issued to the couple Thursday “is void, just as any license issued in violation of state law would be.”

“I will continue to defend the will of the people of Texas, who have defined marriage as between one man and one woman, against any judicial activism or overreatch,” Paxton said.

 

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