Supreme Court Halts Gay Marriage In Virginia

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Talking Points Memo

The Supreme Court granted an emergency injunction on Wednesday to halt gay marriage in Virginia just hours before same-sex couples would have been legally allowed to wed.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who has jurisdiction over emergency requests in the region, referred the matter to the full Supreme Court, which granted the stay.

Gay couples would have been allowed to marry starting Thursday under a recent ruling by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that Virginia's gay marriage ban was unconstitutional. The decision is being appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday was procedural; it won't affect a final decision on the merits about whether gay marriage bans are constitutional. The justices are expected to take up the issue, potentially as early as next year.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scotus-halts-gay-marriage-in-virginia

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Asshole!

Not surprised, though.

The justices are expected to take up the issue, potentially as early as next year.

Until then, GL are supposed to be content with not being seen as a full citizen.

[leftynyc]

2. THIS is why you have to vote

Anyone who continues to claim there is no difference between the two parties needs to have their head examined.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. plus a zillion. Exactly.

[Kelvin Mace]

10. Dems helped

get some of these clowns on the court by refusing to filibuster them when they had the chance. They certainly had the votes on Alito, Roberts and Thomas.

[leftynyc]

16. I'm afraid I disagree

I come from a family of lawyers, all liberals, and they all agree about this. Presidents get to pick their justices for the high court. Elections have consequences and this is a huge one. It never escaped my notice that the rabid partisanship that is so rampant started right around the time Bork was borked. The right has never forgotten that and are still pissed that they got Kennedy who the imbeciles consider a moderate.

[tabasco]

17. Oh bullshit.

Put the blame where it belongs -- on asshole republican presidents, dumbasses who vote for them, and stupid idiots who choose not to vote.

[sakabatou]

4. AUGH!

[Treant]

5. Justice Delayed

is Justice Denied.

So, tell me Supreme Court, does the opposition have a reasonable argument that has a decent chance of winning in your chambers?

No? Then a stay is not warranted.

Does denying the right to marry harm gays and lesbians in Virginia? You say no? Inheritance laws...you're welcome, so yes.

Yes...so a stay is not warranted.

It's bad when you have to point out that the Supreme Court has too many legal hacks.

[allan01]

6. when are they going to realize that the equal protection clause means everybody ?

[Ezlivin]

7. Why the **ck was it an "emergency"?

If a gay couple married would that have destroyed all established heterosexual marriages like dominoes falling?

Liberty for all or liberty for none.

[Roland99]

8. Well *yeah*

what else did you expect would happen????


(even though it's legal in several other states...*Surely* it would inflict lasting damage if legalized in Virginia....)

[Treant]

9. I dunno!

Right now, thunderstorms are sweeping through Pennsylvania. This might be a response to the fact that we now have gay marriage (since late this spring).

Apparently God not only works in mysterious ways, he also works very, very slowly.

On the other hand, we do really need the rain, so maybe it's a thank you.

[Kelvin Mace]

11. So, Roberts hopes to convince Kennedy

to vote his way. Marriage equality is now in serious danger.

[NorthCarolina]

12. This gives "hope" to the RW bigots just in time for the 2014 elections.

While it may be "procedural", there is great value in how this can be spun by right wing media to their neanderthal masses. They will no doubt be discussing how 'conservative' justices intervened to "save traditional marriages", and you need to get out and vote if you want to ensure justices of like mind keep getting appointed....yadda, yadda, yadda.

This will likely be one of the last elections where they will be able to exploit "the-gay" to get their vote out. This move by Roberts will give them a good send off.

[Demeter]

13. If it had been Alito, but Roberts? I thought he had more sense, or less stupidity

just goes to show, you cannot underestimate a GOP man enough.

[Massacure]

14. I wonder what this means?

Is the injunction standard operating procedure until they get a chance to decide whether they want to hear the appeal or not? Or is there a bone they have to pick with the 4 Circuit Court of Appeals as opposed to other circuits courts? Or have they just decided that now would be a fun time to step into the fray?

[blkmusclmachine]

15. "Gay Means Stay"

[Beartracks]

18. What I don't get: If unconstitutional in other states, why the holdup? n/t

[24601]

19. Because SCOTUS has never ruled on the core issue. District and Circuit Courts have limited

jurisdiction and only SCOTUS applies across the country.

Another thorny question - what happens if SCOTUS says the law of the land is that it's a state by state issue? Does the California Supreme Court in that scenario revert to Prop 8? If so, what of everyone already married?