Officials await more rulings

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage, the Louisiana Justice of the Peace and Constable’s Association is awaiting an opinion from the state Attorney General’s Office on whether justices must perform marriages.
“It’s what we do (performing marriages),” said Connie Moore, president of the association. “Our job description says we may perform marriages. Right now, we are waiting on an opinion from the attorney general’s office on the ‘may’ versus the ‘shall.’ The attorney general is researching this right now. We have asked the attorney general for an opinion on if justices of the peace have to perform them (same-sex cermonies).”
“Right now, if you (justices of the peace) won’t perform a same-sex ceremony, then don’t do any.”
Moore herself has presided over same-sex marriages since the Supreme Court ruling, and she will continue to do so after the opinion is issued. Moore performed three same-sex marriages one day last week, including a couple that has been together for 48 years, and Monday she will marry a couple of 24 years.
“We are doing to do what the law tells us to do,” Moore said. “We took an oath of office to uphold the law, and that is what we are going to do.”
According to Moore, one justice of the peace from north Louisiana has resigned following the Supreme Court’s decision. The female justice of the peace is married to a minister, and she cited a religious conflict as her reason for quitting. Moore said she has also received phone calls from other justices of the peace who are questioning whether or not they should perform same-sex ceremonies due to personal concerns.
“They are asking if they absolutely have to and saying they would hate to quit and enjoy serving the people,” Moore said. “They want to stay if they have the option to stay true to themselves.”
Joseph Wayne Doucet, an Acadia Parish justice of the peace who married first same sex couple in St. Landry Parish on June 30, will also continue to marry same-sex couples no matter what the attorney general’s opinion is.
“I’ve done another same-sex wedding since that first one, and I’ve got a few more lined up in the next few weeks,” Doucet said. “It’s a job to me. This is what I’m hired to do. I will continue to perform them, if the good Lord is willing.”
Judges may also perform marriage ceremonies, but it is at each judge’s discretion whether or not to perform any marriage ceremony.
“The judges don’t have the time (to perform marriage ceremonies), so we refer them to the justice of the peace,” said St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court chief deputy clerk Lisa Doyle. “The district judges have been here for a very long time, and I have only seen but one or two (marriage ceremonies performed by a judge) in the last 20 years.”
Terry Hoychick, Eunice City Court judge did not return phone calls about whether or not he would perform a same-sex marriage ceremony.
According to Patreace McGee, a chief deputy with the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court’s office, the main office has issued two same-sex marriage licenses since the Supreme Court’s ruling.
“We are following the Supreme Court’s ruling and issuing licenses,” McGee said. “We have not had any complaints or anything (from justices of the peace). We’re just doing our normal work. They told us to do it and we did it (issued the licenses). No problem.”