Supreme Court Refuses Action on Florida's Same-Sex Marriage Ban

A last-ditch effort by the state of Florida to prevent a lift on the voter-backed ban on same-sex marriage has failed.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied the state’s request for a stay in the case before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday night.

That refusal means U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle’s ruling that the ban is unconstitutional stands – for now. Earlier this year, Hinkle ruled the state’s voter-backed ban was unconstitutional, but stayed enforcement until Jan. 5.

Essentially, that means the ban goes away Jan. 6, but some questions linger about whether the order is only in effect in Washington County or if it extends to the entire state, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The case Hinkle ruled on only involved the Washington County Clerk of the Court’s office, so other county clerks are hesitant to issue marriage licenses, the paper pointed out.

“Regardless of the ruling it has always been our goal to have uniformity throughout Florida until the final resolution of the numerous challenges to the voter-approved constitutional amendment on marriage,” Bondi said in a statement issued Friday night. “Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on January 5.”

An appeal to Hinkle’s ruling remains active in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. That case isn’t expected to be heard until sometime in 2015, the Sentinel reported.

See Also:

• Pam Bondi Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Extend Gay Marriage Ban