A federal judge awarded a team of Kentucky attorneys more than $1 million for their role in the landmark United States Supreme Court case that struck down bans on same-sex marriage.
The state will have to pick up the $1.1 million tab.
The lawsuit was initiated by Louisville couples at first seeking the state to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages. Later, same-sex couples seeking the ability to be married in Kentucky joined the suit.
In 2014, U.S. District Judge John Heyburn ruled the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Attorney General Jack Conway refused to appeal. But former Gov. Steve Beshear hired outside attorneys to continue defending the ban.
The case, and others like it, made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which effectively legalized same-sex marriage last summer.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson ordered Wednesday that the losing party, the state, will have to pay the fees and expenses for attorneys who fought successfully on behalf of Kentucky gay couples.
The plaintiffs attorneys included Laura Landenwich, Dan Canon, Dawn Elliott, Joe Dunman and Shannon Fauver, all based in Louisville.
