INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- A federal judge struck down Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage Wednesday, ruling that gay couples have the same marriage rights as couples of opposing genders.
The ruling takes effect immediately, meaning same-sex couples can begin marrying Wednesday. The clerk in Marion County, home to Indianapolis, says the office will start issuing marriage licenses.
U.S. District Judge Richard Young ruled that the state's ban was unconstitutional. The ruling involves lawsuits from several gay couples.
The Indiana attorney general's office says it will appeal but had no other immediate comment.
Federal courts across the country have struck down gay marriage bans recently, but many of those rulings are on hold pending appeal. Attorneys on both sides of the issue expect the matter to eventually land before the U.S. Supreme Court.