Judicial Advisory Panel Rules Arizona Judges Must Perform Same-Sex Marriages

By Al Macias
Published: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 5:03pm

Arizona judges are being told they must perform same-sex marriages if they choose to perform any marriages. This ruling comes from a judicial advisory panel.

Last October, a federal court struck down the ban on same-sex marriage in Arizona.

Now the Arizona Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee said turning away same-sex couples would violate a state judicial-conduct rule against bias or prejudice based on sexual orientation.

The committee has ruled that a judge's religious or other personal beliefs don't make a difference, nor does it matter if the judge performs weddings at non-court locations

The judicial ethics advisory committee is appointed by the state Supreme Court and consists of seven judges and two non-judge attorneys.