News Texas Supreme Court rules that judges can refuse to marry same-sex couples
News Texas Supreme Court rules that judges can refuse to marry same-sex couples
Quote:The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that state judges may decline to perform weddings, including same-sex marriages, based on religious belief. Critics say the move could erode public confidence in the impartiality of the courts and chip away at the practical reach of marriage equality in Texas.
The order, issued Friday, adds a single but sweeping line to Canon 4 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct: βIt is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief.β
The Advocate, October 29 2025
https://www.advocate.com/news/texas-judges-same-sex-marriages
Quote:The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that state judges may decline to perform weddings, including same-sex marriages, based on religious belief. Critics say the move could erode public confidence in the impartiality of the courts and chip away at the practical reach of marriage equality in Texas.
The order, issued Friday, adds a single but sweeping line to Canon 4 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct: βIt is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief.β