The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on
Tuesday granted Utah an extra month to file an appeal in a ruling
ordering officials to recognize the marriages of more than 1,300 gay
and lesbian couple who exchanged vows during the 17-day window when
such unions were legal in the state.
The court agreed to the state's request
to extend the deadline to October 22.
In requesting the extension, Utah
argued that it needed more time due to the case's complexity.
U.S. Judge Dale A. Kimball ruled in May
that Utah officials must recognize the marriages. After a 3-judge
panel of the Tenth Circuit in Denver denied the state's request for a
permanent hold on the ruling, Utah turned to the Supreme Court, which
granted the state's request.
Utah has asked the high court to review
the Tenth Circuit's decision striking down Amendment 3, Utah's 2004
voter-approved constitutional amendment defining marriage as a
heterosexual union.