A Hiccup on Wisconsin Gay Marriage when Judge that declared it legal halts it

                                                                             

 Gov trying to stay out of it

 A federal judge on Friday put same-sex marriages in Wisconsin on temporary hold pending appeals of her ruling one week ago that the state’s ban on gay nuptials is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb said she was issuing the stay at the request of Wisconsin officials who are appealing her decision and to avoid further confusion among county clerks, who have issued hundreds of marriage licenses.

Crabb wrote in her opinion that she was required to follow the guidance of the U.S. Supreme Court and issue a stay, despite finding it difficult "after seeing expressions of joy on the faces of so many newly wedded couples."

County clerks around Wisconsin have issued hundreds of marriage licenses to same-sex couples since Crabb ruled last Friday that the state ban adopted in 2006 violated the U.S. Constitution.

According to Fair Wisconsin, an LGBT advocacy organization, 61 of the state's 72 county clerks have issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples since the ruling. A Reuters tally found that more than 500 gay couples have applied for or have been granted a marriage license in Wisconsin in the past week

Reuters                               

The cause:

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen requested that Crabb's ruling be put on hold. Crabb last week declared the state's ban unconstitutional but did not tell the state how to proceed. On Friday she issued an order saying the weddings are legal, but then put it on hold per Van Hollen's request.

All but 12 of Wisconsin’s 72 county clerks began issuing licenses to same-sex couples after Crabb's ruling last week, even though Van Hollen had argued that was premature

CLICK HERE to read the ruling issued on Friday, June 13.