Arkansas Judge Will Rule re: Marriage Case

[Kulindahr]

In Little Rock ... a reporter was apparently removed from a courthouse for simply questioning why they weren't issuing licenses. It's truly remnicent of the civil rights struggle now!

There's an invitation to a first amendment suit!

 

[Alnitak]

Apparently in Carroll County the attorney in question claimed that a law banning same-sex marriage was still on the books, which is baseless since both the statute and constitutional bans were shot down.

It's an unrelated law that just fines clerks for issuing illegal licenses. Yes it's totally bogus.

 

[JackinSea]

They're stalling for a stay.

 

[Kulindahr]

They're stalling for a stay.

They should be held in contempt of court, fined $1k and thrown in jail for three days.

 

[Alnitak]

They're stalling for a stay.

Yeah, the same thing happened in Utah, and when recalcitrant counties didn't get a stay they caved. I'm crossing my fingers.

 

[Alnitak]

Great digest on the latest analyses: http://purpleunions.com/blog/2014/0...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Also, the state government is so far honoring the marriages.

Ark. health department allows same-sex couples on birth certificates

 

[Alnitak]

Marion and Saline have stopped issuing licenses, saying they will wait for word from the AR Supreme Court.

That leaves Pulaski and Washington, the first and third largest counties in the state.

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/05/...ssuing-marriage-licenses-to-same-sex-couples/

 

[Kulindahr]

^
The judge should hit them with contempt of court.

 

[Alnitak]

The latest count on licenses is 400 even.

Pulaski County has issued 243 licenses, Washington County 122, Carroll 28, Saline six and Marion one.

Lawyers: Don't suspend gay marriage ruling

We should know by Thursday what the AR Supreme Court intends to do.

^
The judge should hit them with contempt of court.

They won't get away with it so easily if the AR Supreme Court does not issue a stay.

 

[rareboy]

The arc of history still bends toward justice.

The good news is that I don't think there will ever be another California clusterfuck.

It is now only about time.

 

[Alnitak]

Arkansas Supreme Court

Request for a stay is DENIED

The Arkansas Supreme Court has rejected the state attorney general’s request for a stay of a judge’s ruling that overturned Arkansas’ constitutional ban on gay marriage.

Arkansas Supreme Court won’t stay same-sex marriage ruling

Read the opinion HERE: http://ww2.lgbtqnation.com/assets/2014/05/Arkansas-Supreme-Court-ruling-0514.pdf

The opinion is based on technicalities, but I'll take it. That means marriages will continue for at least a few days.

 

[T-Rexx]

Pulaski County (one of the only two counties in AR still issuing gay marriage licenses) has announced that it will stop doing so, in the wake of the Arkansas Supreme Court's action.

The only other county in Arkansas still issuing licenses, Washington County, has not yet announced what it will do.

Looks like we're going to have to wait on SCOTUS. Very frustrating.




http://bigstory.ap.org/article/arkansas-ag-again-seeks-court-stay-gay-marriage

 

[Kulindahr]

So it's legal to issue marriage licenses, but clerks can be fined for doing so to same-sex couples....

Even the cat is embarrassed.

 

[Alnitak]

Pulaski County (one of the only two counties in AR still issuing gay marriage licenses) has announced that it will stop doing so, in the wake of the Arkansas Supreme Court's action.

The only other county in Arkansas still issuing licenses, Washington County, has not yet announced what it will do.

Looks like we're going to have to wait on SCOTUS. Very frustrating.




http://bigstory.ap.org/article/arkansas-ag-again-seeks-court-stay-gay-marriage

If the Arkansas Supreme Court maintains the part of Piazza's ruling that cites Arkansas' Declaration of Rights, then the ruling will not be appealable to the US Supreme Court.

 

[Alnitak]

So it's legal to issue marriage licenses, but clerks can be fined for doing so to same-sex couples....

Even the cat is embarrassed.

It's a minor technicality that would be ignored in a liberal state.

Piazza no doubt will issue an amended order and injunction soon.

The Arkansas saga will go on for a while...

 

[Kulindahr]

If the Arkansas Supreme Court maintains the part of Piazza's ruling that cites Arkansas' Declaration of Rights, then the ruling will not be appealable to the US Supreme Court.

I was wondering about that. I almost rather it goes that way.

- - - Updated - - -

It's a minor technicality that would be ignored in a liberal state.

Piazza no doubt will issue an amended order and injunction soon.

The Arkansas saga will go on for a while...

I should hope it wouldn't be ignored anywhere -- better to tidy up all the loose ends.

 

[Alnitak]

I should hope it wouldn't be ignored anywhere -- better to tidy up all the loose ends.

It is unenforceable in my book to have a law that operates only by color of law.

 

[T-Rexx]

If the Arkansas Supreme Court maintains the part of Piazza's ruling that cites Arkansas' Declaration of Rights, then the ruling will not be appealable to the US Supreme Court.

No, but if SCOTUS invalidates ALL state constitutional amendments banning gay marriage (as they should have done in Windsor), then nothing Arkansas does will matter. And that is likely to happen before Arkansas allows gay marriage through its own legal system.

Nothing is going to happen anywhere in the USA until SCOTUS rules.

 

[Alnitak]

No, but if SCOTUS invalidates ALL state constitutional amendments banning gay marriage (as they should have done in Windsor), then nothing Arkansas does will matter. And that is likely to happen before Arkansas allows gay marriage through its own legal system.

Nothing is going to happen anywhere in the USA until SCOTUS rules.

It would be nice to say Arkansas was the only Southern state to do it on its own accord, and the character of its judiciary does reflect well on the state.

 

[T-Rexx]

^ Yes, it would be nice to say that.

But, they haven't done that, have they?