What happened today?

until June to marry. That’s when the measure legalizing gay marriages
was to go into effect.

What happened before the decision?

Two Illinois women who were in a civil union sued last year to
challenge the start date; one of the them had been battling breast
cancer and was told by a doctor she had little time to live. A judge
granted the request and they wed in November. Later, the judge who on
Friday did away with the June 1 start date ordered the Cook County
clerk’s office to issue licenses to couples in similar circumstances.

"There is no reason to delay further when no opposition has been
presented to this Court and committed gay and lesbian couples have
already suffered from the denial of their fundamental right to marry.”  
--  U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman.