The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a petition
asking it to reinstate Proposition 8, California's now-ended gay
marriage ban.
“The petition for a writ of mandate is denied,” the court's
docket says.
According to the Los
Angeles Times, the high court rejected the arguments of
Protect Marriage, the group that sponsored Proposition 8, that a
circuit court order could not overturn a statewide law.
Proposition 8 tumbled after the Supreme Court ruled that
interveners lacked standing to defend the law, leaving in place a
2010 circuit court ruling declaring it unconstitutional.
Within days after the Supreme Court ruled, the Ninth Circuit Court
of Appeals lifted its stay in the ruling, allowing same-sex marriages
to resume in California.
In its filing, Protect Marriage argued that unless the court acts,
“the end result will be to allow one federal district judge –
empowered by state officials who openly advocated for and ceded to
Proposition 8's demise – to nullify a constitutional initiative
approved by more than seven million voters.”
Protect Marriage added that retired Chief U.S. District Judge
Vaughn R. Walker's ruling only applies to the two counties where
plaintiffs live, not the entire state.