Queer Quote: Santa Fe County Clerk Requests Ruling From NM Sup Ct

Although she has been ordered to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples by a state judge, Santa Fe County Clerk Geraldine Salazar today filed a motion, joined by all 33 county clerks in the state of New Mexico, to intervene in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU seeking to win the freedom ti marry for same-sex couples in the Land of Enchantment.

Salazar's explanation for why she took this action to make herself a defendant in a lawsuit is today's Queer Quote:

“We want direction from the New Mexico Supreme Court. I have been ordered by two district courts to issue same-gender marriage licenses and not ordered to change the statutory marriage application to gender neutrality. I want clear judicial authority to do so.”

The ACLU of New Mexico is happy that all 33 County Clerks are a party to their lawsuit, so if they win it will expedite the uniform access to marriage equality statewide. They released a statement saying:

"We believe that the county clerks intervening in our lawsuit puts New Mexico on an expedited path towards a statewide marriage solution which would provide more certainty for the same-sex couples who married in our state. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will agree with the lower court decision which held that denying marriage to committed, loving same-sex couples is unconstitutional.”

I suspect we'll know sooner rather than later whether this was a good thing or not, but it sure look like it from here.

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God