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| Supreme Court gives go-ahead to same-sex marriages in Idaho | Supreme Court gives go-ahead to same-sex marriages in Idaho |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Supreme Court on Friday night cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin in Idaho, ending a dramatic week in which the right of gay couples to marry expanded dramatically across the nation. | The Supreme Court on Friday night cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin in Idaho, ending a dramatic week in which the right of gay couples to marry expanded dramatically across the nation. |
| In a two-sentence order, the justices denied a request from Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter (R) to delay the unions so the state could continue its appeals. The court gave no reason for the action nor were there recorded dissents. | In a two-sentence order, the justices denied a request from Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter (R) to delay the unions so the state could continue its appeals. The court gave no reason for the action nor were there recorded dissents. |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy had temporarily stalled the unions Wednesday to consider the request. | Justice Anthony M. Kennedy had temporarily stalled the unions Wednesday to consider the request. |
| In a fast-changing legal landscape, it is hard to know exactly how many states allow gay couples to marry. But it is clear that a majority of Americans live in places where such unions are legal and that 35 states are covered by federal appeals courts that have said bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional. | |
| When the week began, same-sex marriage was legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia. | When the week began, same-sex marriage was legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia. |
| The action began Monday with a surprising decision by the Supreme Court not to review rulings of three federal appeals courts that had collectively overturned bans in five states — Virginia, Utah, Oklahoma, Indiana and Wisconsin. | |
| The winners and losers in all of those cases had asked the justices to accept the cases and rule for the nation on whether state bans on same-sex marriage violated the Constitution. | The winners and losers in all of those cases had asked the justices to accept the cases and rule for the nation on whether state bans on same-sex marriage violated the Constitution. |
| Instead, without comment, the justices left the rulings intact, and marriages began in a piecemeal manner across the country. | Instead, without comment, the justices left the rulings intact, and marriages began in a piecemeal manner across the country. |
| For instance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond had ruled Virginia’s ban unconstitutional. The court has jurisdiction over the commonwealth, plus West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Maryland, which had already legalized the unions. | For instance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond had ruled Virginia’s ban unconstitutional. The court has jurisdiction over the commonwealth, plus West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Maryland, which had already legalized the unions. |
| While South Carolina continues to deny gay couples licenses for now, West Virginia dropped its opposition. And after a federal judge in North Carolina Friday struck down the ban there, marriages began immediately. | While South Carolina continues to deny gay couples licenses for now, West Virginia dropped its opposition. And after a federal judge in North Carolina Friday struck down the ban there, marriages began immediately. |
| North Carolina was the most recent state to pass a state constitutional amendment banning such unions just two years ago. “We said we’d be back,” tweeted Evan Wolfson, founder and president of the group Freedom to Marry. | |
| The day after the Supreme Court ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit struck down the bans in Idaho and Nevada. | The day after the Supreme Court ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit struck down the bans in Idaho and Nevada. |
| Otter filed a plea with the high court to delay the issuance of marriage licenses just an hour and a half before they were to be issued. Kennedy, the justice designated to hear emergencies filed from that region of the country, agreed, apparently to give time for the court to consider the request. | Otter filed a plea with the high court to delay the issuance of marriage licenses just an hour and a half before they were to be issued. Kennedy, the justice designated to hear emergencies filed from that region of the country, agreed, apparently to give time for the court to consider the request. |
| The stay he issued, however, included Nevada, where officials had decided not to fight the order. He eventually entered a new order, allowing marriages to begin in that state. | The stay he issued, however, included Nevada, where officials had decided not to fight the order. He eventually entered a new order, allowing marriages to begin in that state. |
| Las Vegas, the city famous for weddings, embraced the ruling for its tourism potential. It took out a full-page ad in USA Today that featured two groom cake-toppers with the city skyline in the background. |