Gay couples marry in Michigan after ban lifted
CINCINNATI (AP) — A federal appeals court has suspended gay marriages in Michigan, putting on hold a decision by a lower court judge who had struck down the state's same-sex marriage ban.
The Cincinnati court's order Saturday brings a halt to same-sex weddings in Michigan, at least through Wednesday. Dozens of couples got hitched earlier Saturday in at least four Michigan counties.
Federal Judge Bernard Friedman on Friday overturned Michigan's constitutional ban, the latest in a series of decisions overturning similar laws across the country.
Two Detroit-area nurses who've been partners for eight years claimed the ban violated their rights under the U.S. Constitution. Nearly 60 percent of state voters in 2004 approved a constitutional amendment that recognizes marriage only as between a man and a woman.
