Cherokee Tribal court agrees to hear gay marriage case

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) _ The Cherokee Nation's highest court agrees to hear the case of a lesbian couple attempting to file their marriage certificate. <br/><br/>In May 2004, Cherokee members Dawn McKinley

Saturday, June 4th 2005, 7:25 am

By: News On 6

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) _ The Cherokee Nation's highest court agrees to hear the case of a lesbian couple attempting to file their marriage certificate.

In May 2004, Cherokee members Dawn McKinley and Kathy Reynolds were married in Tulsa but have not been allowed to file the license with the tribe.

Cherokee Tribal Council attorney Todd Hembree filed a petition June 16th, 2004, against the couple's marriage.

He says it didn't follow the Cherokee gender-specific law, and asked the court to consider the marriage certificate null and void.

Since the issue emerged, the tribe has said it doesn't support same-sex unions.

In 2004, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council unanimously approved language that defined a union as between one man and one woman.