U.S. Supreme Court To Rule On Same Sex Marriage

January 17, 2015

In a move highly anticipated by advocates on both sides of the issue, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to rule on four gay marriage cases, paving the way for what is expected to be among the high court’s landmark decisions.

The court agreed to hear four cases involving marriage bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, the focus of a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit decision that parted from other appellate courts which struck down state gay marriage prohibitions. The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider the question of whether state bans prohibiting same-sex marriages violate 14th Amendment guarantees of due process and equal protection by treating gay couples differently than heterosexual couples.

The court ordered lawyers for the same-sex couples in the four cases must file their briefs by Feb. 27, and lawyers for the states must file their briefs by March 27. Reply briefs are due on April 17. Although the court did not specify when oral arguments would be held, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hold its final session of oral arguments from April 20 through April 29.

The court action will likely put on hold Florida’s appeal of a federal judge’s August decision that the state’s gay marriage ban is unconstitutional. That appeal is now pending before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Florida Attorney General General Pam Bondi, who has fiercely defended Florida’s voter-approved same-sex marriage ban, praised the Supreme Court on Friday.

“All along, I have maintained that the U.S. Supreme Court should decide the same sex marriage issue in order to provide uniformity in Florida and resolve the legal issue nationwide,” Bondi said in a statement. “I am pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the same sex marriage issue and provide finality on the matter.”

Hinkle’s hold on his August ruling expired on Jan. 6 after Bondi failed to convince the Supreme Court to extend it. Gay and lesbian couples throughout the state immediately began to have their unions solidified by marriage despite reluctance from some county clerks, especially in North Florida, who stopped performing weddings to avoid having to perform nuptials for same-sex duos.

The Supreme Court’s final decision won’t have an immediate impact on gay marriage in Florida but “could settle once and for all the matter of whether states can shut some people out of the institution of marriage simply for being gay or lesbian,” said ACLU of Florida lawyer Daniel Tilley, one of the attorneys involved in the Florida federal lawsuit.

“…These hurtful bans are unconstitutional, and (we) look forward to a final ruling that means that all loving couples throughout the country can finally have access to the protections and dignity that come with marriage.”

The upcoming court consideration also gave hope to opponents of gay marriage who argue that states should be able to decide on the matter.

“The issue is still very much an open question until the United States Supreme Court weighs in and determines whether states have a right to define marriage. It is very possible a five vote majority exists in favor of state’s rights and a decision of this nature would immediately reinvigorate the authority and enforceability of the Florida marriage amendment passed by just under five million voters,” said Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger, who was instrumental in pushing the constitutional gay marriage ban approved by Florida voters in 2008. “People should have the right to vote on defining marriage and we are very hopeful the high court will uphold that right.”

Three dozen states, including Florida, have legalized same-sex marriages.

by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida

Comments

6 Responses to “U.S. Supreme Court To Rule On Same Sex Marriage”

  1. perdido fisherman on January 19th, 2015 4:15 pm

    I can only hope that we will be truly free one day just as our founding fathers wanted, without laws that are not fair and equal, without the goverment telling us what we can or cannot do with or put into our bodies or with whom we can share our lives with as our marriage partners.
    This will only happen when people stop forcing thier religious beliefs on others. Unfortunately, when our founding fathers decided that there should be a seperation of church and state, they failed to realize that some people are not capable of doing so. They live to force thier beliefs on others and wish to control everyone and everything, that is why the founding fathers did not want churches involved in goverment, but the people who attend these churches also make up the goverment giving them the ability to use goverment to enforce thier religous beliefs. The Supreme Court is supposed to be part of the checks and balances to keep church and state seperate, but even the supreme court judges are affected by religious beliefs and force thier views and opinions on the people.
    I know it wont happen in my life time, but I sure hope that one day people will live without religion that is based on lies. I say that todays religions are based on lies because of groups like those who control the vatican that hide so called religious items that refute thier claims and keep them from the general public in order to stay in power.

  2. 429SCJ on January 18th, 2015 7:23 am

    @E, people do what the television tells them to do.

    If they see it on TV, it must be true, must be acceptable.

  3. CW on January 17th, 2015 3:50 pm

    @E

    John Kerry, ISIS, and terrorism has absolutely NOTHING to do with same sex marriage and the Supreme Court, I’m not sure how you managed to tie that all together. If our country can’t handle tackling multiple issues at once then we’re in pretty sad shape.

  4. molino jim on January 17th, 2015 1:29 pm

    @E-You answered your last question with your last question. We vote the same people back into office over and over because “he’s our man”. Also we put the same people back into office and expect better or different results. A large amount of the blame is us. We listen to short sound bites in a TV ad and never question the truth about what is being said. We fail to look at the person back ground and voting history and things such as where the money is coming from to pay for their campaign and so on.

  5. James Broel on January 17th, 2015 1:20 pm

    E I can’t rightfully say people vote for stupidity all the time. Sure they vote against their self interests but that’s probably happened way before this. Just look at all the new Republicans in the House and Senate. People spoke and asked for a change so I hope those that want it get it.

  6. E on January 17th, 2015 9:20 am

    OUR LEADERS ARE SO DUMB TO BE STUCK ON STUPIDITY LIKE THIS I WISH WE STILL HAD THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT THAT BUSH PUT IN HERE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW DUMB OUR LEADERS ARE. WITH ALL THATS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TERROSITS SHOOTING CIVILINS ISIS TYING AMERICANS HANDS BEHIND THERE BACK THEN SAWING THERE HEADS OFF WITH A 6 INCH BLADE AND MANY OTHER THINGS AND THIS IS WHAT OUR SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAID EARLY LAST YEAR ON TV “THE GREATEST THREAT TO MANKIND IS CLIMATE CHANGE” NOW YOU TALK ABOUT DUMB WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP VOTING FOR THIS STUPIDITY

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News