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Legislation legalising same-sex marriage was, in spite of fierce opposition from several quarters, legalised in the US in June of this year. Of all of the arguments put forward against the introduction of said law, however, no one predicted one rather unusual outcome: that it would prevent couples from getting divorced. Well, one couple at least. Thomas and Pamela Bumgardner of Tennessee filed for divorce in 2014 only to be informed by Judge Jeffrey Atherton that he was unable to grant their request as, when passing the same-sex marriage law, the US Supreme Court had failed to clarify when a marriage still constitutes a marriage. As a result, Atherton has argued that he is uncertain of whether the couple in question are still legally married and whether they therefore require a divorce. Atherton’s actions have been questioned by the public and authorities alike with many agreeing with prominent lawyer Regina Lambert’s claims that the Judge’s behaviour stems not from a concern with the current legislation, but rather a desire to express his dissatisfaction with same-sex marriage. Additionally, a court clerk in another of the US’s southern states, Kentucky, has been arrested for refusing to issue same-sex wedding permits.