Fewer Officiants Willing To Solemnize Marriages - Greeneville Sun
"The office issues marriage licenses," the website states. "The county clerk, along with judges and county commissioners, may solemnize a marriage. While her office will continue to issue marriage licenses, Bryant's office stopped solemnizing marriages on June 1, Bryant said Monday. This means that the Greene County Clerk's office is no longer a one-stop shop for couples, whether male-female or same-sex, wanting to receive their license and quickly make their nuptials official. Bryant said the lead-up to the high court's decision did not influence her decision to cease performing marriages. According to a Sunday article from the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III said last week that officeholders across the state with the ability to solemnize marriages could make their own call on the matter. "There's no obligation under state law to solemnize a state marriage. Slatery, who notified officials across the state to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Friday, also said officials performing marriages cannot discriminate between same-sex and male-female couples. Bryant said her office has, at times, found itself busy with those seeking to make their marriages official. Source: www.greenevillesun.com
