Gay Marriage OK’d For Virginia Next Week

Short of Supreme Court interference, same-sex marriage will begin next week in Virginia. A federal appeals court announced on Wednesday that it was refusing to stay a July 28 decision to strike down the state’s gay marriage ban. The panel did not elaborate on its reasons for denying the stay request, only that “Upon consideration of submissions relative to the motion to stay mandate, the court denies the motion.” Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts receives emergency requests from the Fourth Circuit, and it is likely that he would then refer the request to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court did stop gay marriages in Utah after judges refused to issue a stay on the decision to strike down the state’s ban.