Arkansas gay plaintiffs seek to have state issued marriage licenses recognized in new lawsuit...

Gay plaintiffs suing to force Arkansas officials to recognize the validity of their state-issued marriage licenses want Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza to preside over the proceedings, according to a petition filed Friday by the group's lawyer.

Piazza's May ruling that Arkansas' constitutional and statutory bans on same-sex unions are illegal led to clerks in three counties issuing marriage licenses to gay couples for six days in May before the state Supreme Court stayed his ruling while justice took up the appeal. The decision has been before the high court for 11 months.

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