GAY MARRIAGGES GONE WRONG

And for the newlyweds A federal judge struck down Indiana's ban on same-sex marriages Wednesday, leaving state officials, lawmakers, social conservatives, gay rights supporters and legal experts scrambling to sort out exactly what the decision means — and what will happen next.

But for the hundreds of gay and lesbian couples who rushed to courthouses across the state for impromptu weddings, the judge's words meant something simple, yet significant: They could finally be married in Indiana.

Michelle Pemberton/The Star

Craig Bowen (left), Jake Miller, become the first gay couple married by Marion County Clery Beth White, at the City County Building in Indianapolis.

The monumental ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Young said Indiana's law that limits marriage to one man and one woman, and that denies recognition of same-sex marriages legally performed in other states, is unconstitutional. It mirrored more than a dozen recent federal court opinions that have struck down same-sex marriage bans in other states.

"In less than a year," Young wrote in his opinion, "every federal district court to consider the issue has reached the same conclusion in thoughtful and thorough opinions — laws prohibiting the celebration and recognition of same-sex marriages are unconstitutional."

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller's staff quickly filed a notice of appeal and an emergency request for a stay of Young's order, which could halt same-sex marriages pending outcome of an appeal. The motion for a stay, according to spokesman Bryan Corbin, which has been granted in other jurisdictions, "is intended to prevent confusion and inconsistency between county clerk's offices regarding license issuance, while the appeal is pending."

"Until the United States Supreme Court determines that traditional marriage laws such as Indiana's are unconstitutional, it is premature to require Indiana to change its definition of marriage and abide by this court's conception of marriage," the attorney general wrote in the request for stay. "Nonetheless, marriages in violation of Indiana's existing law have taken place, are taking place, and will continue to take place pursuant to this court's order."

Supporters of gay rights saw the ruling as a historic victory in their long struggle for equality in Indiana.

City-County Councilman Zach Adamson, who married his longtime partner in Washington, D.C., last year, said the ruling is "absolutely a big deal."GAY MARRIAGES GONE WRONG.tthere's a lot of things that I play with but one of the things I do not play with the name of Marriage and sexuality in my money and this whole thing about gay marriage got me a bit upset   see I am currently a resident living in Indianapolis Indiana  who just don't understand why  you made it legal then unlegal all overr agina think its wrong how the government played with these young man and woman's life's on top of that there money I believe its a shame I'll  go out my way to say its a damn shame 

  That y'all can't get in your thick headed can't step into the real world cause there's a file stuck up there where the sun don't shine y'all not looking at the fact people love each other you looking at your likes n dislikes I for one don't thank its far, is this the  land of the free

or the land were u can't be who u wyouth o be yet u tell us be all.I spoke to married gay man in Indianapolis they feel its a outrage that Indiana  do not  agree but its acknowledged ladycangentlemenis going by school policythe US. I anonymous freedom riders free is free nothing is truly free if won by price keep in mine it has legalized just amediately was defective all because other people started feeling some type of way yet a gain kind of makes you want to question your whole bill of right all over again it's bound by  sexed now I can go into whole scenario even with sex when with youth that gay or transgendered why being in school how different they try to be about the dress code as long as any student that can't fallow the school dress code policy why transgender youth who follow it still get in trubble by the deens the principal wtote up by their teachers shame America