Judge Rules Against Oklahoma Gay Marriage Ban

Decisions are pending appeal in both Utah and Oklahoma

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A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, but gay and lesbian couples can’t rush to the altar yet because the ruling was put on hold pending an appeal.

Oklahoma could become the 18th or 19th state to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples after U.S. Senior District Judge Terence Kern’s ruling. A federal judge recently struck down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage, but the state is appealing that decision and the Supreme Court halted same-sex unions in the state during the appeal, even after more than 1,000 couples were married.

The two couples who are plaintiffs in the case first filed their lawsuit in 2004, the Tulsa World reports.

[Tulsa World]