Court asked to halt joint taxes from gay couples

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A state judge has been asked to put an immediate halt to Missouri's acceptance of joint tax returns from gay couples who got married legally in other states.

The request for a temporary restraining order was filed Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court.

It's part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by several Missouri residents, including officials from the Missouri Baptist Convention. They're challenging a decision by Gov. Jay Nixon's administration to accept combined tax returns from legally married same-sex couples.

The lawsuit contends Nixon's policy change violates a Missouri constitutional provision recognizing marriage only between a man and a woman.

Nixon has noted that Missouri's tax code is tied to the federal code, and that federal officials are now accepting joint tax returns from married same-sex couples.