North Carolina Amendment 1

==Legal challenges==
On July 28, 2014, the [[U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit]] affirmed a lower court ruling in Virginia in favor of the freedom to marry, declaring that banning same-sex couples from marriage is unconstitutional under the [[U.S. Constitution]]. The decision affirmed the February 13 ruling from U.S. District Court Judge [[Arenda Wright Allen]] in ''Bostic v. Schaefer'', in which same-sex couples sought the freedom to marry and respect for their marriages legally performed in other states. On October 6, the United States Supreme Court denied review of this case, meaning that same-sex couples would have the freedom to marry in Virginia.

Since the 4th Circuit also covers Maryland, West Virginia, North and South Carolina, the decision by the Supreme Court to refuse review meant the 4th Circuit decision stood as case law in the other states. With the exception of Maryland, where same-sex marriage was already legal, court cases were promptly filed to strike down various state laws and amendments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.freedomtomarry.org/litigation/entry/4thCircuit |title=Marriage at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals &#124; Freedom to Marry |access-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20141105224731/http://www.freedomtomarry.org/litigation/entry/4thCircuit |archive-date=November 5, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Shortly after 5&nbsp;p.m. on October 10, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge [[Max O. Cogburn, Jr.]] in Asheville issued a ruling in the case of ''General Synod of the United Church of Christ, et al. v. Drew Reisinger, Register of Deeds of Buncombe County'', declaring the amendment unconstitutional, and also declaring unconstitutional "and any other source of state law that operates to deny same-sex couples the right to marry in the State of North Carolina or prohibits recognition of same-sex marriages lawfully solemnized in other States, Territories, or a District of the United States, or threatens clergy or other officiants who solemnize the union of same-sex couples with civil or criminal penalties".<ref name="news-record">{{cite web|url=http://www.news-record.com/news/amendment-one-struck-down/article_40763ce2-5099-11e4-84c9-001a4bcf6878.html|website=news-record.com|title=news/amendment-one-struck-down/article_40763ce2-5099-11e4-84c9-001a4bcf6878|date=October 10, 2014 |access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>[http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2014/10/10/17/42/nUiNa.So.138.pdf Memorandum of Decision and Order from U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

[[Chris Sgro]], executive director of [[Equality NC]], an [[LGBT rights]] advocacy organization in North Carolina, said "Today's ruling allowing loving, same-sex couples to marry across North Carolina is a historic moment for our state", and said that "With it, we celebrate with so many North Carolinians who have worked tirelessly over decades to change hearts, minds, and unequal laws in the state we call home. Love won and the barriers to it are done."<ref name="newsobserver">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/10/10/4222691_the-wait-for-gay-marriage-in-north.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&rh=1|website=newsobserver.com|title=www.newsobserver.com/2014/10/10/4222691_the-wait-for-gay-marriage-in-north.html?sp=/99/100/&rh=1|access-date=February 24, 2021|archive-date=December 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219024214/http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/10/10/4222691_the-wait-for-gay-marriage-in-north.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&rh=1|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Shortly after Cogburn's ruling, the Registers of Deeds in several North Carolina counties reopened (or had previously extended hours in anticipation of the ruling) to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples that had been waiting for several days.