Ohio has banned gay marriage but that won't stop same-sex couples from applying for marriage licenses in Cleveland, as New York clergy face charges for marrying same sex couples.

A projected 100 gay Ohio couples plan to apply for the licenses Friday at Cuyahoga County Probate Court. The Lesbian Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland is organizing the event, which also will include a rally.

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The court says it won't be able to issue the licenses because of the state law.

But the couples say they'll try anyway. They say they hope their efforts will spark discussion about what they say is an equality issue.

Opponents of gay marriage say they are glad Cuyahoga County won't issue the licenses because they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Arraignment For Ministers

Two ministers from New Paltz, N.Y., will be arraigned Monday on misdemeanor charges for marrying same-sex couples.

Reverends Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey -- both of the Unitarian Universalist Church -- say they will plead not guilty and are ready to take the case to court.

They're accused of performing marriages of same-sex couples who lacked a civil marriage license. It's the same charge filed against New Paltz Mayor Jason West after he married 25 gay and lesbian couples last month.

Lawyers for the ministers insist what they're doing is legal under the state constitution.

The actions in New York are part of a nationwide debate and series of actions regarding gay marriage, including court cases launched after the city of San Francisco issued marriage licenses to thousands of couples, possibly in violation of state law, a Massachusetts court ruling that same-sex couples can't be barred from marriage under the state's constitution and President George W. Bush's call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage.