Same-sex couples may soon legally wed in Indiana after a federal judge ruled against the states gay marriage ban on Wednesday.
U.S District Judge Richard Young said Indiana’s law violated the equal protection clause in the Constitution.
“It is clear that the fundamental right to marry shall not be deprived to some individuals based solely on the person they choose to love,” Judge Young said in his ruling. “In time, Americans will look at the marriage of couples such as Plaintiffs, and refer to it simply as a marriage- not a same-sex marriage.”
“These couples, when gender and sexual orientation are taken away, are in all respects like the family down the street. The Constitution demands that we treat them as such.”
It was not immediately clear how soon same-sex couples can receive a wedding license after the ruling was made. Ripley County Clerk Mary Ann McCoy said she hasn’t received any indication from the state as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is likely to appeal the ruling.
