STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) -- One of the Wisconsin counties that did not issue same sex marriage licenses Monday is now offering them.
Portage County Clerk Shirley Simonis says they waited at the advice of Corporation Counsel Mike McKenna until the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the stay on their own ruling. The stay prevented any changes until the State of Wisconsin could appeal the matter to the Supreme Court. Now that the Supreme Court has decided not to consider Wisconsin’s appeal, they have sent documentation back to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, and that court lifted their stay order Tuesday morning. With that action, there are no possible legal obstacles preventing clerks from issuing same sex marriage licenses.
Simonis says she and McKenna were concerned about issuing the licenses too soon and having them ruled illegal later. With the stay lifted, she said, “I issued a license this morning and I have no doubt it will be legal for them. That’s what we wanted all along.”