OHIO: Judge Orders State To Recognize Marriage Of Deceased Gay Man

An Ohio judge has ordered that a recently deceased gay man be listed as the legal spouse of his partner on his death certificate.

Judge Timothy Black’s order Tuesday came just hours after attorneys asked him to rule quickly so that 54-year-old William Herbert Ives is listed as married on his death certificate before being cremated on Wednesday. Ives and David Michener had been together for 18 years and have three adopted children. They married in Delaware on July 22, but Ives died unexpectedly a week ago.

More from Chris Geidner at Buzzfeed:

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday that requires the registrar of the Office of Vital Records in Cincinnati’s Health Department and state officials to recognize Ives’ and Michener’s marriage. The order echoed one he previously issued in the case as to another same-sex couple who married in Maryland. Black held previously and again Tuesday that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their lawsuit claiming that Ohio’s constitutional and statutory bans on recognizing same-sex couples’ marriages violate the U.S. Constitution.

(Tipped by JMG reader Bobby)