Gay marriage 2014
Pennsylvania's governor Tom Corbett ended his fight Wednesday, May 21, 2014 to stop same-sex marriage, allowing a growing number of couples to proceed with their wedding plans with greater peace of mind. Pennsylvania is now the 19th state to recognize same-sex marriages and the last northeastern U.S. state to do so. Others may soon follow depending on how federal appeals courts, and eventually the U.S. Supreme Court, rule on state bans that have been overturned. Six federal judges have issued pro-gay-marriage rulings since the Supreme Court's decision in Windsor v. U.S. in June that struck down part of the federal anti-gay-marriage law, including rulings in Utah and Oklahoma. Democratic attorneys general in at least seven states — Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Oregon, Kentucky and Nevada — have declined to defend same-sex-marriage bans that have been challenged in court by gay couples.Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Julie Lobur, left, and Marla Cattermole look out on supporters of gay marriage at a rally on the steps of the state Capitol Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Harrisburg, Pa. Pennsylvania's ban on gay marriage was overturned Tuesday by a federal judge in a decision that makes same-sex marriage legal throughout the Northeast. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
William Roletter, left, and Paul Rowe, press close to one another as they apply for their marriage certificate, Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at City Hall in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania became the final Northeastern state and the 19th in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. Republican Gov. Tom Corbett said Wednesday he would not appeal a federal judge's ruling that overturned the state's 1996 ban. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
State Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway, center, speaks to a group of pastors and others on the steps of the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, May 22, 2014. A group of Arkansas pastors opposed to same-sex marriage gathered on the steps of the Capitol to pray and rally Thursday. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
In this April 25, 2014, file photo, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert addresses a crowd during a rally at the Western Republican Leadership Conference, in Sandy, Utah. Gov. Herbert said Thursday, May 22, 2014 that he remains committed to defending Utah's same-sex marriage ban, calling decisions by other state leaders to not defend bans the "next step to anarchy." Herbert made the comments Thursday during his monthly televised news conference on KUED. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Viola Vetterm and her wife Kate Potalivo, and Amber Orion and her partner, Joy Payton listen to a speaker during a rally at City Hall, Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania's ban on gay marriage was overturned by a federal judge Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Methodist Rev. Thomas Ogletree speaks to the media during a news conference following the announcement that a case against him for breaking church law by officiating his son's same-sex marriage had been dropped, Monday, March 10, 2014, in White Plains. The decision is considered a victory for Methodists who have defied church law and organized ministry to all couples. But conservative Methodists have been pressing church leaders to discipline clergy who preside at gay weddings. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
In this April 3, 2014, photo, Derek Kitchen, left, and Moudi Sbeity sit on their couch at their home, in Salt Lake City. The young couple that has become the face of gay marriage in Utah is an unlikely pair for the role. Kitchen and Sbeity were both raised in conservative religious families that shun gays, Kitchen in a Mormon home in Utah and Sbeity in a Muslim family in Lebanon. They each came out when they were 16 years old, worlds apart, and met six years later in college in Utah. They chose to become one of three couples as plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Utah’s same-sex marriage to publicly push back against religions that oppress gays and lesbians. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
In this Sept. 12, 2011 file photo, Alan Simpson, speaks in Washington, D.C. A group of Republicans have come out in support of legalizing gay marriage in Utah and Oklahoma, arguing that allowing same-sex unions is consistent with the Western conservative values of freedom and liberty once championed by Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater. The group that includes former Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas plans to file a friend of the court brief Tuesday, March 4, 2014, to a federal appeals court in Denver that is reviewing same-sex marriage bans in Utah and Oklahoma, said Denver attorney Sean Gallagher, whose firm wrote the 30-page argument. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Rick Spitzborg, right, kisses his partner Blaine Bonham during a rally at City Hall, Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania's ban on gay marriage was overturned by a federal judge Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Shelton Stroman, left, and partner Christopher Inniss, right, help their son Jonathan, 9, with homework in the couple's kitchen, Thursday, April 17, 2014, in Snellville, Ga. A gay rights group on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, filed a federal lawsuit in Atlanta challenging the state of Georgia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Peg Welch, center left, and her wife Delma Welch gather with others at a gay marriage rally on the steps of the state Capitol Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Harrisburg, Pa. Pennsylvania's ban on gay marriage was overturned Tuesday by a federal judge in a decision that makes same-sex marriage legal throughout the Northeast. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In this June 26, 2013, file photo, Sean Lewrence, of Philadelphia, holds up a flag during a rally for gay marriage, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Despite the Supreme Court's decision, gay marriage bans still stand in Pennsylvania and roughly three dozen other states. Pennsylvania's constitution, however, does not ban gay marriage, as some other states' constitutions do. The gay marriage battle was one of the major headlines in Pennsylvania in 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Text from AP Story's:PENNSYLVANIA WON'T APPEAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CASEBY MARC LEVY
COUPLE: PHILLY MAYOR SET TO PERFORM GAY WEDDINGSBY MARYCLAIRE DALE
GAY MARRIAGE'S WIN STREAK TESTED IN HIGHER COURTBY NICHOLAS RICCARDI and BRADY MCCOMBS
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