Former county clerk to pay $100k in damages 8 years after refusing to issue marriage licenses

ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) – Eight years after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, former Rowan County Clerk, Kim Davis, has been ordered to pay $100,000 in damages.

The verdict of federal trials to decide how much money Davis owes two same-sex couples was handed down on Wednesday afternoon.

Soon after the 2015 Supreme Court decision in which same-sex couples won the right to marry nationwide, Davis, a Christian who has a religious objection to same-sex marriage, stopped issuing all marriage licenses.

That led to lawsuits against her, and a judge ordered Davis to issue the licenses.

She spent five days in jail after refusing.

A judge ruled that Davis, a former Rowan County Clerk, violated Constitutional rights by denying them marriage licenses.

The four plaintiffs in the suit asked for compensatory damages, pre-and post-judgment interest, as well as legal fees.

The two lawsuits were tried simultaneously because of their similar nature in the case and the two juries reached a verdict Wednesday, September 13.

The verdict of lawsuit A resulted in Davis paying $100,000 in damages.

The verdict of lawsuit B resulted in Davis owing nothing in damages.

Davis did not speak with WSAZ, but her lawyer did confirm they would be appealing Wednesday’s verdict.

This is a developing story.

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