MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Wisconsin's attorney general told officials throughout the state Monday to act "fairly and impartially" in handing out same-sex marriage licenses.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the state's appeal to try and preserve the 2006 ban on gay marriage and civil unions.
The order immediately ended delays on same-sex marriage license requests in Wisconsin and four other states.
Van Hollen said his Justice Department attorneys acted "admirably" in defending the ban, whether they agreed or not with the underlying policy issues. Now, the Republican Van Hollen says he encourages "everyone to respect" the Supreme Court's action and "administer the law fairly and impartially."
County clerks in Madison and Milwaukee were the first to announce they would take same-sex marriage applications, after their county attorneys agreed the ban is now unconstitutional. However, some counties are slow to go along -- just like in June, after Federal Judge Barbara Crabb ruled the state's ban unconstitutional.
FOX 11 interviewed county clerks in northeast Wisconsin -- and officials in Oconto and Kewaunee counties don't expect to approve same-sex licenses until Tuesday. Calumet and Waupaca counties said they were waiting for guidance from their internal county attorneys.
Clerks in Brown, Outagamie, Winnebago, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, and Menominee counties said late this morning they would issue licenses immediately.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
