Antelope County Clerk Magistrate Not Performing Weddings

Wedding ceremonies will no longer be performed by the clerk magistrate in Antelope County. 

Clerk Magistrate Barb Finn did not give a lengthy explanation for the change, but said a Nebraska Supreme Court opinion has forced her to make a decision.

According to the state supreme court opinion issued yesterday, those performing weddings may not be selective - whether they are same-sex couples or not. Either you choose to perform weddings or you don't.

Similar decisions have been made in Madison and Wayne counties as well.

Courthouse weddings are not a mandatory duty of clerk magistrates or judges.

Judge Donna Farrell Taylor said judges have never been expected to perform weddings, it has always been discretionary. In her 14 years on the bench, the judge said she has only performed five weddings, and all of those were for close friends or family members.

All couples can get marriage licenses at the courthouse and get married in Antelope County; however, it is unclear who would be available to perform the wedding should a couple choose to marry at the courthouse.

Antelope County Clerk Lisa Payne said a change was also made to the marriage license application this week in response to the Supreme Court ruling.

"We were emailed a new form on Monday," Payne said. "They now say party A or groom and party B or bride."

This was to comply with last week's Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriages, which ruled that states cannot keep same-sex couples from marrying and must recognize their unions.