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Arkansas Judge Will Order Mediation On Birth Certificate Law

Marissa Marisa Pavan Birth Certificate certificates same-sex marrriage
Michael Hibblen
/
KUAR News

A judge says he plans to order Arkansas to mediate its differences with three same-sex couples over the state's birth certificate law, which the U.S. Supreme Court found to illegally favor heterosexual parents.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox entered the initial order on Monday. On Tuesday, he set it aside because a state Supreme Court order sending the issue back to his court hasn't taken effect. Fox says he'll order mediation once that happens.

The U.S. Supreme Court in June sided with Fox's 2015 ruling striking down part of law defining parents by gender. That overturned a decision by the state Supreme Court.

The state Supreme Court last week ordered Fox to come up with a way for the state to comply with the U.S. court's decision.

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