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After a state-level judge in St. Louis found Missouri's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional Wednesday, same-sex couples in the city rushed to City Hall to be married.
St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison's ruling only applies to St. Louis, as the decision came from a case filed by the state after the St. Louis mayor and a local recorder of deeds began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples this summer in defiance of the state constitution's ban on same-sex marriage, approved by voters in 2005. Burlison ruled in favor of the recorder, determining that Missouri's ban violates the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Denying otherwise qualified couples the right to marry solely because both partners are the same gender is unconstitutional, Burlison declared. Therefore, all legally eligible couples who want to marry in St. Louis are "legally entitled to a marriage license," he wrote.
Burlison's ruling denied the state's request for a stay, meaning the decision took effect immediately. The state's attorney general, a Democrat who has said he personally supports the freedom to marry, appealed Wednesday's decision to the Missouri Supreme Court, but did not ask for a stay on the ruling, reports the Associated Press.
Although St. Louis is currently the only city issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the state, the statewide LGBT group, PROMO Missouri, reminded LGBT residents that anyone who lives in the state can apply for a marriage license in St. Louis if they travel to the state's second-most populous city.
Below, see the emotional photos from couples who became the some of the first same-sex newlyweds in Missouri Wednesday and Thursday.
\u201cCongrats to the couples receiving their marriage licenses in St. Louis right now! #ShowMeMarriage\u201d— PROMO Missouri (@PROMO Missouri) 1415226014
\u201c\u201c@jrosenbaum: #ShowMeMarriage @stlpublicradio\u201d it's a great day for MO\u201d— Jason Rosenbaum (@Jason Rosenbaum) 1415236178
\u201c#marriageequality on the steps of City Hall's rotunda #stl\u201d— Patrick R. Brown (@Patrick R. Brown) 1415228912
\u201cNOW: More couples arriving at #STL City Hall to get married. @kmoxnews\u201d— Michael Calhoun (@Michael Calhoun) 1415225632
\u201cBeautiful! CONGRATS! \ud83d\udc97 \u201c@michaelcalhoun: NOW: Emotional for first s/s couple to show up at #STL City Hall. @kmoxnews\u201d\u201d— anna hullum (@anna hullum) 1415235367
\u201cThe scene at #STL City Hall\u201d— Michael Calhoun (@Michael Calhoun) 1415228885
\u201cWow. These 3 pastors are going to rotate shifts at #STL City Hall to marry any couples who want to tmro! #Equality\u201d— Maggie Crane (@Maggie Crane) 1415229538
\u201cMayor Francis Slay has arrived for gay marriage event at City Hall. #STL\u201d— Nicholas J.C. Pistor (@Nicholas J.C. Pistor) 1415225511
\u201c.@MayorSlay says his brother may now move home to #STL with gay marriage ban ruled unconstitutional #showmemarriage\u201d— Casey Nolen (@Casey Nolen) 1415225724
\u201cCongrats to the "newlyweds" So elated for you! #ShowMeMarriage\u201d— \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude37Cora Faith Walker, Esq., MPH\ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89 (@\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude37Cora Faith Walker, Esq., MPH\ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89) 1415238560
\u201cMarried my friends tonight at City Hall in STL! #marriageequality #showmemarriage\u201d— Katie Hotze-Wilton (@Katie Hotze-Wilton) 1415246474
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