Before the US Supreme Court temporarily blocked gay marriages in Utah on Jan. 6, no same-sex unions had taken place in Emery County. The stay is in place pending the state’s appeal of a federal judge’s ruling allowing same-sex marriage.
At the Emery County Commission meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that the county will join the amicus brief in support of Amendment 3 litigation. This means the county supports the litigation of the amendment and wants its opinion on the matter to be known, but they will not make any oral argument regarding the case. Emery County supports marriage as a union between a man and a woman and wants Amendment 3 to be upheld.
According to commissioner J.R. Nelson, more than 70% of residents in Emery County voted in favor of Amendment 3. It was noted that the commissioners wanted to uphold the majority vote of Emery County residents. The county will now make a move to ensure the amendment’s litigation by filing their own brief.
The county will work with a professor from Brigham Young University to display their support regarding the matter. The professor will assist the county with the legal process free of charge, minus the minimal costs of printing and mailing documents.