Despite confusion over same-sex marriage ruling, clerks in 42 counties issuing licenses
MADISON (AP) — More than half of the counties in Wisconsin are issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.
County clerk offices in 42 of the state's 72 counties told The Associated Press on Monday that they were issuing licenses. Clerks in a few counties did not answer phone calls.
Many county clerks also are waiving the state's five-day waiting period so couples can marry in what may be a short window before ceremonies are halted by a court order.
Hundreds of couples have married since Friday when U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb declared the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has asked an appeals court to stop the marriages while he appeals Crabb's decision.
One of the counties in the Milwaukee area issuing same-sex marriage licenses is Waukesha County.
"At this point we`re going to continue until further notice," Waukesha County Clerk Kathleen Novack said.
Novack says she made her decision on Monday morning to start issuing the marriage licenses.
"It would be hard to pinpoint something that says no, this overrules it," Novack said.
Six same-sex couples were waiting outside Novack's office when she opened.
Shortly thereafter, some of them married in the Courthouse courtyard.
Novack says she consulted with her county's legal team before making the call.
"I know I started with kinda keeping a running total even starting over the weekend on what other counties were doing," Novack said.
As of 5:00 p.m. Monday, Waukesha County had granted about 18 marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Novack says they will continue, unless a judge rules they stop.
"If a stay is granted, then obviously we'll be stopping," Novack said.
In southeastern Wisconsin, Sheboygan, jefferson, Waukesha, Milwaukee and Kenosha counties are now issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Washington, Ozaukee, Walworth and Racine counties are not issuing licenses at this time. Clerks at those offices either declined interviews with FOX6 News or didn't return calls.
Office staff in those counties say they've decided not to issue licenses until further guidance comes from the state.
Here are the counties issuing licenses -- according to the Associated Press:
1.Adams
2.Ashland
3.Bayfield
4.Brown
5.Buffalo
6.Burnett
7.Clark
8.Columbia
9.Crawford
10.Dane
11.Dodge
12.Door
13.Douglas
14.Florence
15.Fond du Lac
16.Forest
17.Green
18.Iowa
19.Iron
20.Jackson
21.Jefferson
22.Juneau
23.Kenosha
24.La Crosse
25.Langlade
26.Lincoln
27.Manitowoc
28.Milwaukee
29.Monroe
30.Oneida
31.Pepin
32.Pierce
33.Polk
34.Rock
35.Rusk
36.Sauk
37.Sawyer
38.Sheboygan
39.Taylor
40.Vilas
41.Waukesha
42.Wood