Today, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to a stay on a federal appeals court’s ruling against Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage, blocking same-sex marriages from taking place this week in the state, reports the Washington Blade.
The Supreme Court granted a request from a county clerk in northern Virginia to delay a decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond that would have allowed for same-sex couples to marry beginning Thursday morning. The decision came in a single page order with no further explanation.
The decision to block the same-sex marriages from occurring overturns a decision from the Fourth Circuit, which refused to grant a stay on its decision striking down Virginia’s marriage ban.
The high court’s decision to stay same-sex marriages in Virginia is consistent with other stay decisions it has issued in other states following rulings in favor of marriage equality.
There was disappointment from supporters of same-sex marriage with many saying that gay and lesbian couples have waited long enough to marry.
In a statement James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia said, “Loving couples — and families — should not have to endure yet another standstill before their commitment to one another is recognized here in Virginia.”
