This man has finally been recognised as the husband of his late partner
A man has been recognised as the husband of his late partner, after the US state of Texas has been ordered by a judge to do so.
As they now face possible contempt, and a court order, officials in Texas have changed the death certificate of a gay man to add his husband as the surviving spouse.
John Stone-Hoskins, 37, of Conroe, attempted to have the death certificate amended to reflect that he was married to James Stone-Hoskins in New Mexico back in 2014, after a decade together. The state refused.
“The amended death certificate was issued this evening as ordered by the U.S. District Court and requested by John Stone-Hoskins,” said the department of health and human services in a statement on Thursday.
Last month the US Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a constitutional right for all American couples, same or opposite-sex.
Since, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has instructed clerks to refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
US District Judge Orlando Garcia issued the order, for Paxton and interim director at the Department of State Health Services Kirk Cole, to attend the contempt hearing.
A Department of State Health Services official wrote, “Until the ruling is fully reviewed, we will not be able to know the impact, if any, on the process to file or amend death certificates. We will keep your documentation in a pending file and will advise you once a determination is made.”
The two will appear in court next week in order for Garcia to ascertain whether they went against a July ruling, in which the same judge said the state could not refuse to recognise same-sex marriages.
According to a spokesperson for the Attorney General, another legal case is required to find out if the Supreme Court’s ruling applies retroactively.