Federal judge rules Kansas’ same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Kansas’ ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the AP reports. U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree has ordered the state to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, pending the outcome of a lawsuit seeking to permanently overturn the ban. Crabtree’s ruling will go into effect on Nov. 11. The one-week delay gives the state time to appeal, which Kansas Assistant Attorney General Steve Fabert has said the state will do.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court turned away appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay marriage, clearing the way for the expansion of same-sex unions. The ACLU sued on behalf of two lesbian couples to have Kansas’ ban overturned.

A statement on the website of the LGBT rights group, the Kansas Equality Coalition read: “This is the victory we’ve been hoping for, but we still have another week, at least, to wait.”