Michigan Gay Marriages Suspended

Updated 5:34 PM ET

A federal appeals court in Cincinnati has postponed same-sex marriages in Michigan at least until Wednesday, a day after a lower court judge’s ruling that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban, The Associated Press reported.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it put out the order Saturday because it needed additional time to examine Michigan’s appeal of federal Judge Bernard Friedman’s Friday decision that reversed the same-sex marriage ban.

Earlier, Michigan county clerks opened their offices Saturday to issue the state’s first marriage licenses for gay and lesbian couples following Friedman’s ruling.

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum issued a marriage license to Glenna DeJong, 53, and Marsha Caspar, 52, at 8 a.m., the first same-sex couple to marry in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reports. At least three county clerk offices opened on Saturday, and reportedly issued hundreds of marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed an emergency request late Friday for a stay pending an appeal.

Friedman struck down Michigan’s ban on Friday and did not allow for a waiting period to give the state time to appeal or implement the ruling, paving the way for the state to be the 18th in the country to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

[AP, Detroit Free Press]