Legal News

Prop 8 Survives: Calif. Supremes Uphold Gay Marriage Ban

By Amir Efrati

This just in: According multiple press reports, the California high court upheld the gay marriage ban known as Proposition 8, which was passed by the state’s voters last fall. Click here for the ruling.

The court, however, said it would let stand about 18,000 same-sex marriages that occurred before the ban took effect. The decision Tuesday rejected an argument by gay rights activists that the ban revised the California constitution’s equal protection clause to such a dramatic degree that it first needed the Legislature’s approval, the AP said. The announcement of the decision caused an immediate outcry among a sea of demonstrators who had gathered in front of the San Francisco courthouse to await today’s ruling.

In oral arguments in March, the justices appeared inclined to uphold the law. Prior LB coverage here.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on May 26, 2009 (boomark / email).