Attorney Says Gay Marriage Licenses Already Issued Are Still Valid
By Kim Glovas
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A Norristown attorney says yesterday's decision by a Pennsylvania Commonwealth judge may have stopped any more licenses from being issued to same-sex couples in Montgomery County, but those that have been issued cannot be taken back.
Family attorney Dan Clifford says he is reviewing the decision of Judge Dante Pellegrini (see related story), which orders the Montgomery County register of wills to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Clifford adds that same-sex couples who had made marriage license applications but had not received a license are in limbo for the time being.
Despite the setback, he says, "The Montgomery County officials deserve an enormous amount of credit for moving the ball further down the field. Their accomplishment has been to keep the issue in the public dialogue like nothing else. Whether you agreed or not with what the register did, it's forced people to take a position on same-sex marriage, and by all acounts it's been very positive."
Later this month a federal panel is expected to take up the Whitewood v. Corbett suit, which is a challenge to Pennsylvania's "Defense of Marriage" Act. A similar suit has also been filed in Commonwealth Court.
