In case you have been living under a rock and haven’t heard, same-sex marriage is now legal in the State of Arizona.
On October 17, 2014, Arizona joined the growing number of states that permit same sex marriages when United States District Court Judge John Sedwick struck down the 1996 state law and a 2008 voter-approved constitutional amendment that outlawed gay marriage. Judge Sedwick’s ruling effectively banned state officials from enforcing the state’s laws and not issuing marriage certificates to same sex couples.
That same day, Arizona’s Attorney General Tom Horne announced that his office would not appeal Judge Sedwick’s order. Attorney General Horne notified Arizona’s county clerks to begin issuing marriage certificates to same sex couples.
Immediately, same sex couples began lining up outside county clerk’s offices to apply for marriage licenses. The day that same sex marriages were made legal, Maricopa County Clerk’s Office estimated that they had issued nearly double the daily average marriage licenses.
Same sex couples will now begin enjoying the same legal protections and rights afforded to married couples. As a result of the court’s ruling, same sex couples may now marry and divorce in Arizona.
While we realize this has been a long time coming and you are probably more inclined to just run out and get married, but if you have acquired assets during your lifetime and you are interested in obtaining information about how to retain them through marriage, contact Owens & Perkins, Attorneys at Law for a complimentary ½ hour consultation at (480) 994-8824.
