Jefferson Parish became Louisiana’s first parish to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling — a decision that surprised many given the parish’s conservative reputation and contrasted with Governor Bobby Jindal’s initial resistance.
Clerk of Court Jon Gegenheimer, after reviewing the court’s decision with his office’s attorney, determined the ruling was unambiguous and moved immediately to implement it. “Being conservative means, among other things, you respect the letter of the law,” Gegenheimer said. “The Supreme Court has spoken. We have to act accordingly.”
Despite the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association’s recommendation to wait 25 days before implementation, Gegenheimer proceeded based on his office’s independent legal analysis that denying licenses would violate the 14th Amendment’s due process and equal protection clauses. The decision drew national coverage from The New York Times and NPR, and inspired similar actions in other Louisiana parishes.
Gegenheimer, a Republican who has served as clerk since 1988, emphasized that personal feelings must be set aside when applying the law.