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Hanes To Appeal Commonwealth Court Decision On Marriage Licenses

By Brad Segall

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Officials in Montgomery County have decided to appeal last week's ruling from Commonwealth Court ordering the county to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples (see previous story).

County solicitor Ray McGarry says he will file an appeal on behalf of register of wills D. Bruce Hanes in the next several days.

The county will ask the state Supreme Court to take a look at Judge Dan Pellegrini's ruling that said it's up to the courts to decide whether laws are constitutional, not local government officials.

Pennsylvania law defines marriage as a union only between a man and a woman.

Montgomery County started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples back in July (see related story), and 174 had been handed out before the court order came down last week.

The Corbett administration sued Hanes, saying he was in direct defiance of the ban and his actions risk serious and limitless harm to the public.  The county abided by the judge's ruling.

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