2008 Woodie Awards
"And he said 'yes' "
After an Iowa judge nixes the state's Defense of Marriage Act, one same-sex couple ties the knot
By Kellie Bramlet and Megan Hupp
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The couple envisioned a summer ceremony, surrounded by their friends and family. But their plans changed Thursday evening when a rare opportunity arose.
An Iowa district court judge ruled the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. About 20 same-sex couples received marriage licenses, the Associated Press reported, before the judge placed a stay on his original ruling late Friday morning.
While most marriage licenses require a three-day waiting period, Fritz, 24, and McQuillan, 21, paid a small fee and obtained a waiver from another judge, allowing them to marry before the stay was enacted.
As soon as Fritz heard the news, he said he had to jump at the chance. He picked up McQuillan from work, got down on one knee and presented McQuillan with a flower and a ring.
"And he said 'yes,' " Fritz said.
The couple stayed up late into the night researching the marriage process and married the next morning - just hours before the judge placed a stay on his ruling. While other couples received marriage licenses, Fritz and McQuillan were the only couple to actually get married.
District Court Judge Robert Hanson ruled Thursday that Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1998 and modeled after a similar federal act, is unconstitutional. The act limits marriage and civil unions to one man and one woman.
Hanson's ruling came while hearing a 2005 case in which six same-sex couples sued after being denied marriage licenses. Hanson put a stay on his decision just before noon Friday and ordered county officials to stop issuing marriage licenses. However, Hanson's ruling sparked a rush to the Polk County recorder's office Friday morning of same-sex couples filing their applications for licenses.
Published: 9/4/07 Section: News
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
equine potamuse
posted 9/04/07 @ 2:39 PM CST
It might be nice if the Marquette Tribune had told its readers exactly what reasoning Judge Hanson used to rule Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act to be unconstitutional. (Continued…)
Sean
posted 9/06/07 @ 3:20 AM CST
Here is a PDF to the ruling. The juicy ruling bits start around page 40. I have heard rumors Hansen is not a 'liberal' at all, and is in fact a devout methodist (I am not a reporter and this is rumor), he is however an excelent judge that made a very solid and prudent ruling. (Continued…)
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