Federal Judge Strikes Down Ohio Marriage-Recognition Ban as “Facially Unconstitutional”

U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black, who ruled in December that Ohio’s ban on recognizing same-sex marriages from other states was unconstitutional in connection with recording marital status and surviving spouses on death certificates, today expanded his ruling in the context of a second lawsuit brought by married same-sex couples seeking recognition for purposes of birth certificates. However, Judge Black didn’t restrict his ruling to that issue, instead finding that Ohio’s recognition ban was unconstitutional … <Read More>


Ohio Marriage Challenge Continues Despite Death of Plaintiff

A federal judge in Cincinnati has ruled that a lawsuit seeking to compel the state of Ohio to recognize same-sex marriages of its residents that were performed in other jurisdictions will live on, despite the death of a plaintiff that might otherwise moot the case, and that a gay Cincinnati funeral director may carry on the challenge as a “third-party plaintiff” representing the interests of his future clients.  The judge also suggested that his ruling … <Read More>