Many Missouri counties not granting gay marriages

Rev. Katie Hotze-Wilton signs a Missouri marriage license after performing a marriage ceremony for April Dawn Breeden and her long-time partner Crystal Pearis Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, at City Hall in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Jefferson City, Mo. (AP) — Many Missouri counties are declining to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples a day after a judge in St. Louis ruled that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.

The president of the Recorders' Association of Missouri said the group was advising county officials Wednesday that the ruling by St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison applies only to that city and not the rest of the state.

Association president Jan Jones said she was following that advice in Johnson County and not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Officials in Boone, Cole, Greene, Miller, Osage and Jasper counties also said they weren't issuing the licenses.

But a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County recorder of deeds said it already had issued marriage licenses to two same-sex couples Wednesday.

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The Gayly – November 6, 2014 @ 10:30am