Disappointment for some and relief for others, as the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice John Roberts sent word to the state of Virginia, which was preparing to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
Wednesday afternoon, the court granted a request from a county clerk in northern Virginia to block same-sex marriages across the state while the issue is being appealed to the Supreme Court. The court provided no explanation for its order.
The high court will consider whether Virginia’s ban on gay marriage is constitutional, and clerks of court around the state may not issue licenses to same sex couples until that case is decided. There’s no word on when that might happen. The Supreme Court could consider arguments this fall or wait until next spring.
