PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Same-sex marriages in Oregon could begin as soon as this afternoon, depending on a judge’s ruling.
U.S. District Judge Michael McShane said he’ll issue his ruling at noon on a constitutional challenge to the state’s gay-marriage ban. Officials in Oregon’s largest county, Multnomah, say they’ll begin issuing marriage licenses immediately if his ruling allows it.
McShane hasn’t signaled how he’ll rule, but the state refused to mount a defense of the voter-approved ban, and both sides asked that it be found unconstitutional.
Oregon voters added the ban to the state constitution in 2004. The decision, approved by 57 percent of voters, came months after Multnomah County briefly issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
About 3,000 gay couples were allowed to marry before a judge halted the practice. The Oregon Supreme Court later invalidated the marriages.
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