A tribal court has dismissed a lawsuit that held up a lesbian couple's effort to have their marriage recognized by the Cherokee Nation.
In a ruling filed Wednesday, the tribe's Judicial Appeals Tribunal said that Todd Hembree, the tribe member and attorney whose lawsuit blocked the filing of a marriage certificate issued by the tribe to Dawn McKinley and Kathy Reynolds, had no standing to sue and suffered no harm by the women's attempt to be recognized as a married couple.
The women haven't decided whether they will try to refile the certificate in order to have their union officially certified by the Cherokee Nation. Because of tribal sovereignty, Cherokee Nation marriage certificates are recognized just like Oklahoma marriage licenses.
Details here from the AP via houstonvoice.com.