NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Four same-sex couples are asking a federal judge for a preliminary injunction that would force Tennessee to recognize their marriages.
The couples filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Nashville last month challenging Tennessee laws that prohibit recognition of same-sex marriages. They claim in court filings that the laws violate constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.
From left: Plaintiffs Dr. Valeria Tanco and Dr. Sophy Jesty, John Espejo and Matthew Mansell, Kellie Miller and Vanessa DeVillez (Sgt. First Class Ijpe DeKoe and Thom Kostura not pictured.)
The request for the injunction would apply only to the four couples who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit. If approved, it would be in effect while their case works its way through the courts.
The couples, who include a full-time Army reservist and his husband and two professors of veterinary medicine, all formerly lived and married in other states and later moved to Tennessee to pursue careers and make new homes for their families.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
Article continues below
A spokeswoman for the state attorney general’s office said in an email that attorneys there are reviewing the filing and are prepared to defend Tennessee law and the state constitution.
