county clerk née bailey born september county clerk kentucky gained international attention august defied federal court order issue marriage licenses sex couples following june decision reacted decision denying marriage licenses couples saying acting god authority defiance led jail sentence supporters detractors debated stance national media marriage licenses issued citizens required law davis born jackson kentucky davis serving chief deputy clerk reporting mother clerk davis marriages ended divorce remarried second husband christian court found salary higher expected cut wages despite complaints davis elected county clerk promised follow statutes office months later decided county ordered issue marriage licenses sex couples davis refused citing religious opposition sex marriage couples represented denied marriage licenses davis filed won lawsuit miller davis ordered comply decision start issuing marriage licenses lawyers tried appeal application appeal denied davis continued court order refusing issue marriage licenses ultimately jailed contempt court released jail days later condition interfere efforts deputy started issuing marriage licenses couples davis modified kentucky marriage licenses longer mention attorney general kentucky said matter handled federal court appointment special prosecutor pursue charges official misconduct weeks later davis announced met pope francis washington vatican press office clarified pope met meeting form support actions attorney author described davis example wants use religious liberty argument law professor suggested employer try accommodate religious employees beliefs pointing davis wished remove marriage licenses sex couples republican presidential candidate said davis imprisonment christianity columnist compared davis refusal follow direction alabama governor stand door popular culture davis sex marriage license controversy characterized funny die video parody saturday night live career chief deputy clerk born jackson kentucky serving chief deputy clerk kentucky reporting mother clerk davis compensation annual wage additional overtime compensation chief deputy earned chief deputies county chief deputy sheriff received annually deputy judge executive annually position overtime pay county residents complained davis high wages reviewed compensation office voted unanimously cut county clerk office salary budget county clerk present mother announced run election davis filed democratic candidate county clerk candidates forum davis stated felt best qualified position years experience clerk office davis won democratic primary election advancing general election republican cox complaints campaign davis prevailed winning race davis told words express appreciation promise best working clerk good steward tax dollars follow statutes office letter davis took oath office county clerk january beginning year term slated end january clerk davis receives annual salary sex marriage license controversy background june ruled landmark case holding fundamental right marry guaranteed sex couples process clause fourteenth amendment constitution fourteen counties southern states continued deny marriage licenses sex marriage allowed judges counties alabama deny marriage licenses clerk texas county chose resign issue licenses counties kentucky issuing licenses delays kentucky governor ordered kentucky county begin issuing sex marriage licenses immediately davis reaction sex marriage ruling county clerk contacted asking executive order protect moral objections personally issuing marriage licenses kentucky law requires county issue marriage licenses names began turning away gay couples county office seeking marriage licenses sex couple kentucky alumni released video footage july davis refusing issue marriage license ordering turn camera video went viral overnight august protest rally ruling state capitol organized support davis refused issue marriage licenses sex couples attended thousand people kentucky counties declined speak rally crowd davis spoke briefly saying need prayers continue stand firm believe competing event blocks away organized louisville attendees celebrated supreme_court decision called government officials uphold law issue marriage licenses sex couples davis began denying marriage licenses couples sex mixed sex lawsuits davis couples denied marriage licenses davis sued official capacity county clerk couples represented kentucky couples separate legal representation couples represented sex couples mixed sex couples filed lawsuit davis miller davis july july shot viral video filed suit davis represented davis represented firm filed suit davis august davis federal district judge kentucky judge assigned cases held hearings davis witness davis argued issuing licenses violated beliefs citing religious rights amendment wasn spur moment decision said thought sought god davis decided resigning post said leave matter deputies resign solve helps governor stated special session general_assembly address davis concerns state legislators believed session accommodate davis possible new legislation davis attorneys orlando florida based law firm stated free drive counties obtain sex marriage licenses adding case desires married case desire force approve authorize marriage violation protected religious beliefs davis attorneys sued governor ordering violate religious beliefs instead trying accommodate arguing davis held legal damages lawsuit august judge issued temporary stay barring davis applying marriage licenses policy future marriage license requests stay expired refused extend ruling appeal argued holder clerk office decline act united_states_constitution judge panel wrote unanimously refusal continuing little likelihood clerk official capacity prevail appeal appeal davis filed emergency application appeal august line order supreme_court refused hear appeal preventing davis legally continuing deny marriage licenses response refusal grant stay request davis stated imagined day like come asked violate central teaching scripture jesus marriage issue marriage license conflicts god definition marriage certificate violate conscience davis continued court order supreme_court upheld day court rejected request couples sought obtain marriage licenses davis turned away saying acting god authority media questioned davis having married times recently converted acting application beliefs contempt court ordered davis deputy appear september couples sought held contempt court asked court fine davis ruled favor held davis contempt custody hearing judge said davis remain complied court order issue marriage licenses reportedly said fines option outsiders pay spoke deputy reported davis son told judge refused comply court order start issuing marriage licenses declined hold contempt hearing transported davis friday september day office open davis deputy began issuing marriage licenses couples independently davis couple receive marriage license couple soon followed couples liberty counsel attorneys davis filed appeal order holding contempt court asking released immediately jail removed marriage licenses allowing deputies issue separately davis asked governor free governor office said conflict matter courts added governor power grant release democratic judge executive stated believe need appoint replacement davis believed attorney general kentucky general_assembly pass marriage licenses don point oath keepers armed right wing group variously described militia group offered provide security detail davis effort prevent arresting contempt davis declined offer july appeal contempt court judgment vacated rejected federal appeals court contempt ruling remains record release return work days later tuesday september ordered davis released jail order stated defendant davis shall interfere way directly indirectly efforts deputy issue marriage licenses legally eligible couples interfere way issuance considered violation order appropriate sanctions considered order stated davis deputy continue comply earlier order issue marriage licenses submit status reports fourteen days confirming compliance deputy released statements continue issuing licenses davis release ignore order federal judge order licenses issued davis refusal state authorized office county clerk longer bear davis supporters gathered county courthouse day custody said deputies issuing licenses resign fired davis returned work week later september said interfere deputy clerk issues marriage licenses personally issue authorize forms created altered versions kentucky marriage license form instructed deputy use forms reference clerk office removed sued davis separately form alterations found questionable legality governor asked brief court validity licenses governor acknowledged kentucky recognize licenses issued verify legality licenses issued means marriage licenses altered ultimately denied separate suit stating altered forms likely legal davis court order davis remained inside personal office sex couples successfully walked clerk office marriage licenses applicants said license valid valid court order effect doesn signature reactions controversy davis gained international attention refusal issue marriage licenses ensuing controversy actions caused legal experts spoke professor said sorts religious liberty rights secured amendment laws stake case asked couples come met state requirements marriage religious opposition sex marriage absolutely irrelevant professor said davis waived right objection issuing sex marriage licenses ran job washington_post columnist compared davis refusal follow orders alabama governor futile stand door protest national lgbt civil rights group said davis fundamental right believe likes public servant right pick choose laws follow services provide attorney author argued united_states windsor wrote example wants use religious liberty argument swore oath uphold constitution decide laws enforce decision case gone opposition federal ruling came political wall_street_journal law professor suggested kentucky state religious freedom restoration act state accommodate davis religious beliefs argued state courts authority order removal davis marriage licenses president came davis defense stated brief filed federal court supreme_court ruling completely definition marriage law firm defending davis stated treated criminal violate conscience said refused accept proposed compromise longer found contempt agreed interfere deputies issuing licenses sex couples reactions davis came white_house kentucky governor candidates race presidential election white_house press secretary said public official rule law certainly president united_states clerk governor said judge decision speaks attorneys called legal arguments suit absurd democratic presidential candidate hillary_clinton said officials held duty uphold law end story republican presidential candidates called davis comply court orders said decision law land governor florida said davis sworn uphold law suggested sort accommodation republican presidential candidates senator south_carolina suggested davis comply court order resign members protested davis multiple marriages saying living adultery stated god hates oath breakers davis follow nation law national republican politicians supported davis republican presidential candidate governor arkansas said affair christianity organized rally davis outside jail held senator texas republican presidential candidate said davis victim judicial attended rally louisiana governor senator kentucky presidential candidates voiced support davis republican nominee kentucky governor election said simple solution davis plight government stop providing marriage contracts survey american adults conducted september found supported judge decision jail davis contempt court americans opposed decision asked davis said davis resign office said davis stay office continue refuse issue marriage licenses sex couples said davis remain office issue licenses persons legally entitled opposition court court refused issue marriage licenses sex couples judges counties alabama stopped issuing marriage licenses judge alabama said stopped issuing licenses altogether avoid discrimination said completely disagree authority supreme_court judge alabama said federal government state offices entity issuing sex marriage licenses unrelated clerk kentucky said tried prevent sex marriages tried exercise amendment rights adding applicants apply counties clerk kentucky felt oppressed law bullying away majority right minority rights suggested possibility options meet needs sex applicants online service plans legal action court judges national attention brought case speculated political science professor action availability case pending decisions issues kentucky law commonwealth attorney power local officials including judges executives justices peace county attorneys office neglect discharge official duties offense removal office fine reason lost history statute doesn include county davis elected official simply fired davis removed office county clerk proceedings initiated charges brought denied license times couple asked county attorney office investigate davis official misconduct kentucky law official misconduct degree class imprisonment exceed months fines official misconduct second degree class carries potential punishment days imprisonment fines attorney referred official misconduct complaint kentucky attorney general office led attorney general decide file charges davis kentucky attorney general office conducted review conway issued statement saying nation laws order federal judge conway issued sentence statement saying appoint special prosecutor investigate davis conway noted statute limitations charge laid davis year months davis office forced begin issuing sex marriage licenses davis lawyers filed motion asking decisions calling rush judgment imposed direct pressure substantial burden davis forcing choose religious beliefs essential personal freedom hand abandoning beliefs freedom hand court denied motion november davis lawyers filed appeal day requesting delay issuing marriage licenses sex couples arguing previous decisions apply couples davis office initially ordered issue licenses appeal asked sixth circuit court appeals previous ruling sent davis jail failure comply final appeal denied days later court acts newly elected kentucky governor executive order remove names state marriage licenses expressed hope november executive order protect religious beliefs officials opposed gay marriage asked appeal dismissed end case new regulation removes names provides religious accommodation makes case kentucky attorney general finding davis violated state open records act march washington nonprofit group request davis access public records kentucky open records act seeking copies agreements lawyer client engagement agreements davis religious advocacy organization represented davis marriage license dispute responded request davis behalf refused comply arguing documents preliminary private records subject act appealed attorney general kentucky law authority binding open records act request davis office april attorney general office sought privately review records issue determine exemption applied refused documents available private review opinion issued june attorney general office determined davis violated open records act saying conduct effect intentionally frustrating attorney general review open records request general_assembly intent providing review attorney general davis challenge decision indicated meeting pope francis controversy weeks davis release jail davis announced husband met pope francis september united_states washington pope visit september according davis lawyer pope told davis stay strong gave said way view encounter broad gesture support pope objection gay marriage laws gesture strengthened hand defend religious freedom days later vatican press office issued statement saying pope enter details situation davis meeting considered form support position particular complex aspects according vatican spokesman father pope met dozen people given attendance davis invited pope meeting manipulated lawyer audience given pope washington student openly gay argentine named sex partner years observers wondered pope informed davis controversy vatican media storm meeting davis provoke months later vatican announced pope francis replaced retiring diplomat arranged pope meeting davis archbishop vatican ambassador united_states outspoken opponent sex marriage personal life davis married times different men marriages ended divorce davis mother twin sons born months divorce husband husband biological father twins adopted second husband fourth current husband supports stance sex marriage davis sons works office deputy clerk taken position denying marriage licenses sex couples davis experienced religious awakening following mother law dying wish attend church davis identified christian belonging known favors literal interpretation bible times week solid rock church near following conversion davis let hair grow long stopped wearing makeup jewelry began wearing skirts dresses fall knee keeping external modest dress held weekly bible study female inmates local jail interview january davis said believed living end times davis expressed view bible shortly sex marriage license controversy davis said husband switched democratic_party republican_party speaking reporters davis expressed confidence way marriage licenses issued office kentucky davis warned current situation issue prepared return jail popular culture davis subject numerous satirical works following burst media attention books social media profiles videos created parody davis refusal issue marriage licenses kentucky twitter account followers run comedian davis humorous supposedly woman sits funny die video featuring characters video clips spoof davis refusal issue marriage licenses parody video meeting pope francis author wrote jail erotic story erotic featuring davis fictional role created satirical music video sung tune major general song gilbert sullivan pirates saturday night live cast member portrayed davis season premiere actress december issue vogue told lady makes embarrassed kentucky electoral history
Kim Davis (county clerk)