Same-sex couples in the Southland and across the state were cleared Friday to get married, with a federal appeals court lifting a stay it had placed on the unions while the battle over Proposition 8 was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The nation's highest court ruled Wednesday that supporters of Proposition 8 -- the voter-approved measure that banned same-sex marriage in California -- lacked the proper standing to appeal a lower-court ruling declaring the measure unconstitutional.
The ruling allowed the original federal court ruling to stand, striking down Prop. 8. But the resumption of weddings was left on hold because of an earlier stay that had been issued by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals while the case was pending.
Although it initially appeared that same-sex couples would have to wait about 25 days before the stay would be lifted, the 9th Circuit issued a one-sentence order today reading, "The stay in the above matter is dissolved effective immediately.''
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In response, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an order calling on counties across the state to immediately resume same-sex marriages. He wrote on his Twitter page, "Same-sex marriage is now the law in California!''
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