A New Mexico lesbian couple who married last week has asked a judge to have their marriage recognized by the state.

The request comes following decisions in two counties to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

On Wednesday, Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins announced that he would begin issuing such licenses. Two days later, Santa Fe County Clerk Geraldine Salazar was ordered by a judge to begin issuing licenses to gay couples or explain her reasons for not doing so to the court.

Salazar said that she welcomed the ruling and kept her office open late to accommodate a rush of requests. The first couple received a license at 1:30 PM, ahead of 48 additional couples by the day's end. Salazar's office had issued an additional 64 marriage licenses to gay couples by noon on Monday, the AP reported.

One to the couples who married on Friday were Jen Roper and Angelique Neuman, a Pojoaque couple together 21 years. The women exchanged vows in the lobby of the cancer center at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center.

Roper, who is suffering from a life-threatening form of brain cancer, had earlier filed an emergency request with New Mexico's Second Judicial District Court to let her legally marry her partner. Friday's unrelated ruling resolved securing a license from the county.

At a hearing scheduled for Monday, Roper's lawyers are expected to ask the court to recognize her marriage.

Without a law specifically prohibiting or legalizing nuptials for gay couples, proponents have argued that the state's laws on marriage are gender neutral and have turned to the courts to resolve the matter.

State Attorney General Gary King, a Democrat, has called the prohibition unconstitutional, while Governor Susana Martinez, a Republican, has so far only reiterated her opposition to marriage equality.

However, a group of Republican lawmakers is planning to file a lawsuit to stop Dona Ana County from issuing additional marriage licenses to gay couples.