The U.S. Supreme Court announced late
Tuesday that it will not block the Wednesday start of a gay marriage
law in the District of Columbia.
Opponents of the law, who say gay
marriage should be put up for a vote, filed the challenge with Chief
Justice John Roberts on Monday.
In denying the emergency stay, Roberts
said he believed the full court was unlikely to take up the measure,
adding, “it has been the practice of the Court to defer to the
decision of the courts of the District of Columbia on matters of
exclusively local concern.”
The government of DC approved the law
in December, but has been defending gay marriage since it approved a
law last spring that recognizes the marriages of gay and lesbian
couples from other states.
A last-minute appeal to the District of
Columbia Appeals Court, which
was rejected Friday, left opponents with few legal options to
head off the law from going into effect.
The Supreme Court has already agreed
to hear two cases that involve gay rights.
Roberts' full three-page ruling is
available at SupremeCourtUS.gov.