BREAKING: Supreme Court blocks Virginia same-sex marriages -

[xchrom]

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2014/08/20/supreme-court-blocks-virginia-sex-marriages/

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to a stay Wednesday on a federal appeals court’s ruling against Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage, blocking same-sex marriages from taking place this week in the Old Dominion.

Without explanation, the court announced in a single-page order it has stayed the ruling by the U.S. Fourth Circuit of Appeals in Schaefer v. Bostic, which affirmed Virginia’s prohibition on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Although Chief Justice John Roberts is responsible for stay requests in the Fourth Circuit, the order indicates he referred the matter to the entire court. The vote by the Supreme Court on the decision isn’t included in the order.

The court adds that if the court ends up declining a writ of certiorari to hear the case, the stay will terminate automatically. But if the court decides to hear the case, the stay will continue until judgment is issued.

- See more at: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2014/08/20/supreme-court-blocks-virginia-sex-marriages/#sthash.iLxoPbU9.dpuf

[JEFF9K]

1. Is there a version of this story written in English?

[zipplewrath]

4. They haven't decided what to do

They granted a "stay" (prevent the lower court order from taking affect) until they can decide whether to hear the case. If they decide NOT to hear the case, the stay will automatically expire and the lower court ruling will stand. If they do decide to hear the case, presumably they will extend the stay until after their decision.

[pinto]

5. That's my take.

[LeftofObama]

2. Although I'm disappointed I can't say I'm surprised.

I figured they would block it some time today.

[theHandpuppet]

3. So disappointed

The cry you hear is the sound of thousands of breaking hearts.

[MNBrewer]

6. This was pretty much expected.

[unhappycamper]

7. 8/21 UPDATE

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/08/supreme-court-puts-gay-marriage-hold-virginia



Supporters of marriage equality, including Debbie Melby, hold a vigil in front of the federal courthouse in Norfolk on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014.

Supreme Court puts gay marriage on hold in Virginia
By Michael Felberbaum
The Associated Press
© August 21, 2014

Less than 24 hours before gay couples could have legally wed in Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court put license applications and ceremonies on hold.

A federal district court in February found the commonwealth’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, and an appeals court agreed in July. The Supreme Court will now decide whether to rule on the constitutional question, which could impact 31 states with laws that ban same-sex marriage.

“While we are disappointed that marriages will have to wait, this was not unexpected,” said Tim Bostic of Norfolk, whose 2013 lawsuit led to Wednesday’s action. “We feel that this case deserves to be heard by the Supreme Court and be finally decided for all Americans.”

~snip~

“We are disappointed that the 14,000 couples we represent in Virginia will have to continue to wait to exercise their fundamental right to marry, or to have their marriages recognized in Virginia,” said Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. “Until the Supreme Court rules on marriage equality, many gay and lesbian Virginians will live without legal recognition of their relationships with their children, access to their spouse’s health insurance benefits, the ability to make medical decisions for their spouse, and countless other rights that other married couples take for granted.”