Marriage equality supporters in
Arkansas experienced a bittersweet victory on Wednesday when the
Arkansas Supreme Court refused to stay a ruling knocking down the
state's ban on gay marriage but still managed to put a halt to the
weddings of gay and lesbian couples already taking place in the
state.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris
Piazza on Friday knocked down a 10-year-old voter-approved
constitutional amendment and 1997 law prohibiting gay couples from
marrying. More than 450 gay couples married in the handful of
counties that recognized Piazza's order.
But while the justices refused to set
aside Piazza's ruling, they said that Piazza neglected to address a
separate state law that bars county clerks from issuing marriage
licenses to gay couples.
“I would argue that is implicit in
his ruling, but we're going to have to get him address that,” said
Jack Wagoner, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
According
to the AP, the two remaining counties issuing marriage licenses
on Wednesday to gay couples, Pulaski and Washington, said they would
not be doing so on Thursday.