Pennsylvania Health Department v. Montgomery County Court Clerk Bruce Hanes

Case #: 379 M.D. 2013
Date Filed: 30 July 2013
Ruling Date: 27 May 2014

Description:

• 30 July 2013, PA sued a county clerk who eventually issued 174 same-gender civil marriage licenses. Clerk Bruce Hanes and Attorney General Kathleen Kane both said that the state marriage ban was unconstitutional.
• 4 September 2013, oral arguments were held.
• 12 September 2013, the trial court ruled that Hanes, the county clerk, did not have the authority to issue marriage licenses before a ruling on the state marriage ban.
• 1 October 2013, the county appealed to the PA Supreme Court.
• 2 December 2013, lawyers for Hanes urged the PA Supreme Court to overturn the order that stopped Hanes from issuing any more same-gender civil marriage licenses.
• 27 May 2014, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted an unopposed motion by the clerk to allow him to resume marrying same-sex couples in light of the federal Whitewood decision.