Fifth Circuit Mulls Reviving Challenge to Texas Officiant Law

The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday weighed a request from a secular advocacy group to revive its challenge to a Texas law that only allows religious leaders and judges to officiate marriages in the state.

But Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod questioned whether the Center for Inquiry Inc. presented “any evidence” that it has a “future, concrete intention to perform a wedding in Tarrant County if the law were different or if there were some assurances given.”

Madison Gafford, representing the nonprofit, said one of the center’s members has “expressed a serious intent” to perform a wedding in the county but ...