Today’s the day, y’all … U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker has announced that he has made his ruling on the constitutionality of the vile Proposition 8 that was passed here in California in 2009 which makes same-sex marriage illegal after the California Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that same-sex marriage is legal. The [...]
Today’s the day, y’all … U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker has announced that he has made his ruling on the constitutionality of the vile Proposition 8 that was passed here in California in 2009 which makes same-sex marriage illegal after the California Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that same-sex marriage is legal. The case was argued in front of Judge Walker at the start of this year and after a few months of deliberation, he is ready to announce his ruling … which will be released this afternoon somewhere between 1pm and 3pm PT:
A federal judge in San Francisco will decide Wednesday whether gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry. U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who presided over a trial earlier this year on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, will release his long-awaited ruling Wednesday on whether the 2008 ballot initiative violates the U.S. Constitution, a court spokeswoman said. His ruling is expected to be released between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Walker, an appointee of President George H.W. Bush, heard myriad witnesses testify about the history of marriage, the nature of homosexuality and the degree of power gays and lesbians possess in the political system during the 2 1/2-week trial in January. Most of the testimony favored marriage rights for homosexuals. Walker’s decision is expected to be appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then up to the U.S. Supreme Court … The California Supreme Court ruled 4 to 3 that gays and lesbians were entitled to marry under the state Constitution in an historic ruling in May 2008. Voters passed Proposition 8 six months later, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Walker will decide whether California’s ban on same-sex marriage violates equal protection and due process rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
It is really anyone’s guess which way Judge Walker will rule but no matter what his decision, the case will immediately be appealed to the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then when that decision is handed down, it will then be immediately appealed to the US Supreme Court. Today’s ruling is only the first step in a long journey toward an absolute and final court decision. 5 US states and the US capitol city of Washington DC have legalized same-sex marriage but until the matter is decided on a federal level in a ruling that affects the entire United States of America (which can only be handed down by the US Supreme Court) these legal battles will continue. Much of California is waiting with bated breath to find out today’s ruling … but, again, it is only a first step. I am hoping and praying that Judge Walker rules in favor of liberty and justice for all … same-sex marriage will be afforded to all US citizens … today’s ruling would be a great first step towards that eventual goal.
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Marisa Miller
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