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Taxpayers Facing $2.3 Million Tab in Same-sex Marriage Case

Attorneys who successfully challenged Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage have submitted a bill for more than $2 million in legal fees, court costs and related expenses. Under federal civil-rights law, the state of Kentucky gets stuck with the tab as the losing party in the case.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the private attorneys hired by Governor Steve Beshear to handle the state's appeals have a $260,000 contract. According to state records, $231,348 had been paid by July 20.

The newspaper reports the total cost to Kentucky taxpayers is $2,351,297.

Beshear said Monday he will challenge the plaintiffs' legal bill as "unreasonable."

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III gets the final say on the matter.

The governor acknowledged the state must pay "reasonable attorneys' fees" to the winning side.