My sister the lesbian who lives in California called me crying. She is normally very stoic, but this totally unnerved her. She and her partner of 13 years, who have two daughters, can finally make it legal.
I am so damn happy for her and every other person in California who is finally being given some basic legal human rights.
If I am reading the court’s opinion correctly, no. The marriages were voided under a writ of mandamus and the ruling notes that the relief provided by the ruling was final. One side or the other was arguing that it was only an interim mandamus ruling, in relation to two separate legal actions outside the consolidated Marriage Cases. In its opinion, the court stated that the writ was final, which I interpret to mean that the marriages are still void. Presumably the couples involved got their license fee back.
I fervently hope that more than a few California couples will use part of their tax rebate to stimulate the California same-sex marriage industry segment of the economy.
As I always say, society is turning our way. You can oppose gay marriage, but it is only a matter of time until it’s legal everywhere. And from then on, only a matter of time until people look back on us and wonder what the big deal ever was.
Canada, Netherlands, and South Africa were also destroyed by God.
Which means that, as a resident of Canada, I am apparently living in Limbo. Odd. It just seems like a pleasant spring day here. We even get US television.
Hasn’t he said all along that the issue should be decided by the courts and not the legislature?
Does the ruling take effect immediately (the Mass. SJC stayed their ruling for 180 days)? How long is it going to take to rewrite the licence forms? I assume CA doesn’t have any restrictions on out-of-state couples marrying. It’s probally a good thing that the San Francisco marriages haven’t revalidated. It’d create chaos for couples who were told their marriages were void 4 years ago (especially if they’ve broken up). Those that are still together can get (re)married (except for those who’ve died). Someone please tell me that Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon are still alive.