Maverick County Clerk awaiting instructions from Attorney General on Same Sex Marriages

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage prohibitions by states are unconstitutional in a historic 5-4 majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy on Friday, June 26, 2015, legalizing same-sex marriages in the United States. The Supreme Court’s majority opinion stated that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to get married if they so choose.

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges today, Maverick County Clerk Sara Montemayor announced that her office has not received instructions from the Texas Attorney General’s Office yet regarding the legalization of same-sex marriages in Texas and is awaiting to receive instructions from the Attorney General’s Office before proceeding further.

In a written statement issued by County Clerk Montemayor, she stated that “at this time, we are hearing that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Same Sex Marriage. Nothing official has yet been sent to our office or our legal counsel. Our office will continue to operate as it has been until we are directed to do otherwise and our forms have been updated by the State. We have been instructed by the Texas Attorney General to await direction from their office.”

Up to now, there has been at least 5 inquiries into obtaining a marriage license through the Maverick County Clerks office since the announcement was made public.