Ohio judge wants to know if he can refuse to conduct same-sex weddings

Associated Press

TOLEDO

An Ohio judge who refused to marry a same-sex couple says he wants to know if he can opt out of performing gay weddings.

The judge says he didn’t marry the couple earlier this week because of personal and religious beliefs. Another judge was brought in to perform the wedding the same day.

Toledo Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell said in a statement Wednesday that he’ll continue to perform weddings between men and women while he waits to hear if he can skip out on the court’s judicial rotation for marriages.

McConnell later clarified through a court administrator that he was only referring to opting out of same-sex marriages.