Sandoval Marriage Ruled Valid

It is a day to celebrate in our community, we have 64 couples who have valid marriages in New Mexico!

In a divorce proceeding in Santa Fe, Judge Sarah Singleton ruled that one of the Sandoval 64 marriages was valid and that a divorce proceeding was appropriate for Angela Maria Carrejo and Karla Janelle Haught.  Haught, an attorney representing herself, was arguing that the marriage from Feb. 24, 2004 was void from the start because then-Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap lacked the authority to issue licenses to same-sex couples.

The judge said she wasn't ruling on whether same-sex marriages were constitutional, but that trying to say now that the marriage wasn't valid was too late and that there has been no ruling that they were not valid.  Also Attorney General Patricia Madrid's letter to Dunlap that ended the issuance of the marriage certificates to same-sex couples stated the Attorney General belived the marriage certificates were invalid, but that the opinion was not legally binding.

For more information:  Santa Fe New Mexican
                                  Albuquerque Journal (if you have an online subscription)