MSNBC reported on Cook County’s expedited marriage license approval process for same sex couples where one partner is facing a terminal illness. The court order issued by Federal Judge Coleman allows couples, with a simple, doctor-signed form attesting to their life threatening disease, to obtain a license and marry immediately rather than having to wait for the Illinois marriage equality act to go into effect next June. MSNBC spoke with ACLU of Illinois' LGBT Project Director John Knight:
“Today we’re happy that the judge has agreed to protect other people who have serious illnesses, and we have an agreement from the State’s Attorney and David Orr’s office for a simple certification process,” said John Knight, ACLU Illinois’ LGBT director. “It’s a great day for people who need to marry now and deal with emergency situations. Marriage is hugely important for same-sex couples, healthy or otherwise, but for those people, they really need it now.”
