US judge says he will issue ruling that will force Ohio to recognize gay marriages

CINCINNATI – A federal judge says he will strike down Ohio’s voter-approved ban on gay marriage, meaning the state must recognize marriages of gay couples who legally wed elsewhere.

Judge Timothy Black made the statement Friday following final arguments in a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the marriage ban.

He says he’ll issue the ruling April 14 prohibiting Ohio officials from enforcing the ban, which he says violates constitutional rights to equal protection and due process. Black’s ruling will not mean Ohio has to allow couples to marry in the state.

Attorneys for the state had argued that it’s Ohio’s sole province to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

By announcing his intention ahead of his ruling, Black gives time for the state to prepare an appeal that can be filed as soon as he rules.