A Pennsylvania judge is promising to rule quickly on whether a county clerk should be ordered to stop handing out marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini did not signal what direction he might rule as lawyers debated the actions of Bruce Hanes, who issues licenses in suburban Philadelphia.
Today’s arguments lasted over an hour, with lawyers for Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration saying Hanes’ decision is not allowed under state law.
The lawyer for Montgomery County, where Hanes works, says the court can tailor its decision in a way that won’t create chaos.
Pennsylvania is the only northeastern state that does not allow gay marriage and has no system of civil unions. A 1996 state law says a marriage must be between a man and a woman.
