Officials ready for 'Party'

McCOOK, Neb. -- Local officials are ready to fill in new state forms issued in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring states to recognize same sex marriages.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services marriage worksheet, license and certificate of marriage forms now offer applicants the choices of "Groom/Party A" and "Bride/Party B".

The Red Willow County Clerk's Office has yet to receive its first same sex marriage applicant, as of Tuesday morning, although county officials and local newspaper reporters stand ready.

County officials were encouraged to discuss the impact of the Supreme Court ruling with their local county attorney and informed they were obligated to issue marriage certificates for same sex couples.

The U.S. Supreme court ruled in a 5-4 decision states are required to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when the marriage was lawfully performed in another state, according to an email from the Nebraska Association of County Officials sent out Friday just past noon.

"As a result, Nebraska county clerks will be obligated to issue marriage certificates effective now," said NACO Executive Director Larry Dix.

Dix "strongly encouraged" county clerks and administrators to discuss the impact of the case with their county attorney.

The email also included an attached scan of a response from the State of Nebraska to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The response was filed by the Office of Nebraska Attorney General Douglas Peterson in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and seeks "Suggestion of Mootness and Motion to Vacate Preliminary Injunction."