A court in Charleston, South Carolina, has issued a marriage license to Charleston County Councilwoman Colleen Condon and her fiancé Nichols Bleckley. The license was issued, even as South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says he will continue fight the 4th circuit appeals court ruling that struck down that state's marriage ban. When the US Supreme Court denied to hear the appeal, it upheld the lower court's ruling.
South Carolina has not yet been issued a formal mandate to start issuing marriage license laws, but as ThinkProgress reports, the outcome is guaranteed by precedent.
South Carolina is part of the Fourth Circuit, which means it is impacted by the Circuit’s marriage equality decision in Virginia and this week’s action by the Supreme Court. However, though the outcome is essentially guaranteed by the precedent, the state’s ban must technically be challenged itself, and a federal district judge could overturn it quite quickly. That has not yet happened.
In a statement, Probate Judge Irvin G. Condon explained why he issued the marriage license:
As a result of the actions of the United States Supreme Court on October 6, 2014, the Charleston County Probate Court is required to accept and issue marriage licenses for same sex couples. Applications will be accepted beginning today, October 8, 2104, and the Charleston County Probate Court will issue the marriage license after the mandatory 24 hour waiting period unless stayed by the South Carolina Supreme Court or other appropriate court.
According to the Post and Courier, Colleen Condon announced publicly that she was gay just over a year ago, in a post published on Columbia-based political blog, Fits News. GLAAD wishes the happy couple luck!