D. Bruce Hanes

D. Bruce Hanes is an American elected official, serving as the Register of Wills in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Hanes was elected to his current office in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011.[1]

Issuance of Same-sex Marriage Licenses

On July 23, 2013, Hanes announced[2] that his office would issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. On September 12, 2013, Judge Dan Pellegrini issued an order[3] to cease the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Pennsylvania.

Because of his public support of same-sex marriage, Hanes has been removed from his volunteer position at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, effective September 17, 2013.[4]

In late May 2014, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania dropped its case against Hanes, as the law Hanes was accused of having violated was deemed unconstitutional. A federal district court essentially vindicated Hanes's stance that the state law discriminating against same-sex couples was unconstitutional.[5] On May 28, 2014, Montgomery County resumed issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples.[6]

See also
  • Recognition of same-sex unions in Pennsylvania

References
  1. "Who is D. Bruce Hanes". 2013-08-06. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  2. Parks, Jessica (July 23, 2013). "Montgomery County will issue same-sex marriage licenses". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  3. "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health v. D. Bruce Hanes, in his official capacity as the Clerk of the Orphans' Court of Montgomery County" (PDF). 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  4. Gambino, Matthew (September 18, 2013). "Official who issued same-sex marriage licenses removed as volunteer at Catholic school". Catholic Philly. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  5. "Montco issues first same-sex marriage licenses after court ban lifted". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  6. "Finally, Montco to issue same-sex marriage licenses". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
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