Federal Judge Rules 300 Gay Marriages in Michigan are Legal

Jan 16, 2015 02:02 AM EST

(Photo : Reuters) Same-sex marriage is now legal in Nevada after a district judge upheld the right of gay couples' to marry

Another federal judge has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, adding to the patchwork of court decisions that are contradictory and making a federal Supreme Court ruling necessary to put finality to the issue.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith ruled that the 300 gay and lesbian couples who married during the one-day period when it was legal to be wed must be recognized by the state even if the next day after the U.S. 6^th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the ban on same-sex marriage.

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"In those circumstances, what the state has joined together, it may not put asunder," CSMonitor quotes Goldsmith.

The Michigan case stems from the lawsuit filed by lesbian nurses April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse who have two adopted children each and want the four kids to recognize them as their parents.

DeBoer is positive they would win the case as LGBT groups seek the recognition of same-sex unions in all 50 states. So far, it is recognized in 36 states, including Washington DC.

In response to the decision of Friedman, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said it would recognize all marriage certificates issued on March 22, unless ordered by a court to do otherwise.

The American Civil Liberties Union agreed with Goldsmith's ruling, noting that those marriages are cherished and valid like other marriages.

Groups that are in favor of limiting the definition of marriage to a man and a woman are pushing for a final Supreme Court decision affirming that the power to define marriage is in states alone.

"We demand that the US Supreme Court act immediately to review the pending marriage cases before them and swiftly reaffirm that states have the right to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman," CSMonitor quotes National Organization for Marriage Brian Brown.

Detroit News said the legality of the 300 marriages on March 22 would not be affected even if the Supreme Court upholds the Michigan ban, and the only time it would be affected is if Goldman's decision is appealed or the appeals court decision would be challenged before the Supreme Court.