Jun 10, 2008 / 01:20 am
The county clerk of Kern County, California has announced that her office will perform no civil marriages at all because of the state Supreme Court’s decision not to stay its mandate legalizing same-sex marriages.
Ann Barnett, who in addition to being county clerk is also county auditor and comptroller, had asked the county’s legal counsel to join the motion filed by 10 states petitioning the court to delay its decision mandating same-sex marriages to be performed beginning June 17.
When the court announced on June 4 that it would not delay its decision, Barnett considered resigning as clerk to avoid performing homosexual marriages.
According to the Bakersfield Californian, Barnett decided to instead stop solemnizing all marriages after being advised such a decision would be non-discriminatory. As a county clerk, she is not required by law to provide civil marriages.