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Marriage Equality

Ill. Gay Couples With Health Issues Will Be Able to Marry Early

Ill. Gay Couples With Health Issues Will Be Able to Marry Early

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Same-sex couples in which one partner has a life-threatening illness can marry immediately instead of waiting for the state's marriage equality law to take effect June 1, a judge has ruled.

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Illinois same-sex couples in which one partner has a serious medical condition will be able to marry ahead of the June 1 effective date for the state's marriage equality law, a judge ruled today.

The written order by U.S. District Judge Sharon Coleman will allow these couples to obtain a form from their county clerk's office to apply for an early marriage for medical reasons, Chicago's Windy City Times reports. The forms are expected to be available as early as this afternoon, at least in Cook County, which includes Chicago, and couples from anywhere in the state can download the forms from the Cook County clerk's website. The application will need to be certified by a physician declaring that one or both members of the couple has a life-threatening illness.

Coleman had issued an oral ruling last week that allowed two couples, Elvie Jordan and Challis Gibbs, and Ronald Dorfman and Ken Ilio, to marry. An earlier order had OK'd the first same-sex marriage in the state, that of Vernita Gray and Patricia Ewert. Each couple has one member with an illness so serious they may not survive until the law's effective date.

A suit seeking early marriages for couples with major health issues was filed on behalf of several couples by Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, along with the law firms of Kirkland & Ellis and Miller Shakman & Beem.

"Today we're happy that the judge has agreed to protect other people who have serious illnesses, and we have an agreement from the state's attorney and [Cook County clerk] David Orr's office for a simple certification process. ... It's a great day for people who need to marry now and deal with emergency situations," ACLU attorney John Knight told Windy City Times. "Marriage is hugely important for same-sex couples, healthy or otherwise, but for those people, they really need it now."

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.