Judge strikes down Indiana ban on gay marriage

A federal judge has struck down Indiana's ban on gay marriage, calling it unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Richard Young ruled Wednesday that the state's ban violates the U.S. Constitution's equal-protection clause in a mixed ruling involving lawsuits from several gay couples.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the ruling means same-sex marriages can begin in the state.

The Indiana attorney general's office says it will appeal.

Federal courts across the country have struck down gay marriage bans recently, but many of those rulings are on hold pending appeal. Attorneys on both sides of the issue expect the matter to eventually land before the U.S. Supreme Court.

It also wasn't immediately clear what impact Wednesday's ruling might have on a faltering movement to add a gay marriage ban into the Indiana Constitution.