Quote:
RICHMOND, Va. A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional, the latest in a string of decisions overturning bans across the country.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled that state constitutional and statutory provisions barring gay marriage and denying recognition of such unions performed in other states violate the U.S. Constitution. The Virginia gay marriage case is one of several that could go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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US court: Va. gay marriage ban unconstitutional | CharlotteObserver.com
Along with VA, the Fourth Circuit also includes MD, NC, SC and WV - so, given the circuit court rulings are binding circuit-wide, same-sex marriage bans are now unlawful in all of these states (note: there is no such ban at this time in MD). While this ruling will likely be stayed in the near future, within the next 11 months the United States Supreme Court will almost certainly:
*Unhold this and similar rulings, or
*Decline to hear the inevitable appeal, in which case the ruling - again, binding throughout all five states of the 4th Circuit - stands
Congratulations, North Carolina!
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