NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Supporters of gay marriage in Tennessee say they’re encouraged by recent federal court rulings in Utah and Oklahoma that struck down state limits on same-sex marriage.
Although the judge in Tennessee is not required to follow that lead, advocates say those other opinions will be influential.
The Tennessee case involves couples who were legally married in other states before moving here.
Chris Sanders is with the Tennessee Equality Project.
“These people, who came to Tennessee for work, were married – and suddenly when they stepped foot in the state they weren’t. So they want to resume life back to normal. I mean they just want to take care of their families.”
The Tennessee Constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
The attorney general's office issued a statement saying, "Nothing in these two cases changes our position that Tennessee's laws are constitutional."