No Halt to Same-Sex Marriage in Utah

A federal appeals court ruled today that same-sex marriages can continue in Utah.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the state’s request for an emergency stay on U.S. District Judge Richard Shelby’s decision that Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.  Shelby had refused the state’s first request for a stay on Monday.

Nearly 700 gay couples have obtained licenses after the initial ruling.  Utah’s last chance to stay the marriages would be the U.S. Supreme Court.

See Brady McCombs & Paul Foy, Federal Court: No Halt to Gay Marriages in Utah, Associated Press, Dec. 24, 2013.

Special thanks to Laura Galvan (Attorney, San Antonio, Texas) for bringing this article to my attention.