Same-sex couple in Mississippi goes to court to seek divorce

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has asked the state Supreme Court to allow a lesbian couple to seek a divorce.

Hood sided Thursday with a similar request filed by the attorney for Lauren Czekala-Chatham, who argued a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 26 requires all states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in other states.

That was key to Chatham's arguments as she seeks a divorce from Dana Ann Melancon. They were married in California in 2008.

"That's awesome," Czekala-Chatham told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I can get my divorce? I've been waiting a long time for this. This means I can go on with my life."

Czekala-Chatham said she had expected the state to fight her divorce despite the U.S. Supreme Court decision.

"The way [Hood] was talking after the same-sex marriage decision, I was expecting to have to continue the fight," Chatham said.

Czekala-Chatham said she and her new partner can now make their wedding plans and buy a house together.