Court rules for gay marriage in Oklahoma case

DENVER (AP) – A federal appeals court has ruled for the second time that states cannot prevent gay people from getting married.

A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver on Friday has found a ban on same-sex marriage in Oklahoma violates the U.S. Constitution. In a Utah case, the court ruled June 25 that gay couples have a constitutional right to wed.

Lower courts struck down Utah and Oklahoma’s voter-approved bans in December and January, respectively.

The rulings are the first at the appellate level since the U.S. Supreme Court changed the legal landscape by striking down the Defense of Marriage Act in June 2013. They are likely to be appealed to the high court.

Gay marriage in both states is on hold until appeals are resolved.