Local couples seek licenses for same-sex marriages

CELINA - Mercer County Probate Court in the last week has had two same-sex marriage applications, according to court records.

On July 2, two women from Celina applied and on July 6, another pair of women applied for marriage licenses.

In Auglaize County, two women applied for a license, according to court records.

Mercer County Probate Court Judge Mary Pat Zitter, who no longer performs marriages, said she was surprised no one came in on July 1, the first day of eligibility.

"But we were prepared," Zitter said.

Marriage applications in Mercer County have been changed from bride and groom to applicant on all forms.

"We treat everyone the same," Zitter said.

These are the first couples in both counties to apply for a license since the 5-4 ruling two weeks ago from the U.S. Supreme Court, which declared same-sex couples have the right to marry anywhere in the United States.

Ohio was one of 14 states still enforcing bans on same-sex marriage up to that point.

Zitter said a couple, regardless of sexual orientation, must have a license to be married. A person approved by the Ohio Secretary of State must perform a ceremony at which the participants state they are willing to enter into the marriage contract.

"It doesn't have to be a long ceremony but it does require both parties to verbally agree to the contract," Zitter said.

Wapakoneta Municipal Judge Gary Herman, who performs about a 100 marriages a month, said he performed a same-sex marriage last week, and it "went off with no problems."

"I don't think anyone is really paying attention to this issue and that the controversy over it will die down."

Ohio law had defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Ohio did not allow same-sex couples to marry within its borders and had refused to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

Ohio's ban was passed by voters in 2004. The Friday ruling overturned a 2-1 opinion issued last November by a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Cincinnati that heard arguments last August on cases from Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.

Other states affected by the ruling include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas.

Correction:

The article should have said Auglaize County Municipal Court Judge Gary Herman performs about 100 marriages a year. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling was made June 26. The errors were made in reporting.