Supreme Court Orders Stay on Virginia Gay Marriage
The Supreme Court granted opponents of Virginia gay marriage a stay on Wednesday (Aug. 20), preventing same-sex couples from legally marrying in the commonwealth while the court continues litigation. The Virginia 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled on July 28 to permit gay marriage, a decision that overturned the commonwealth’s gay marriage ban.
The Supreme Court ordered the stay less than 24 hours before homosexual couples in Virginia were to have started applying for marriage licenses.
Most Virginia officials were not shocked by the high court ruling, as the Supreme Court has made the same decision in January for the state of Utah....