On Friday, the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals lifted its stay of a lower court ruling declaring
unconstitutional Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban.
With the stay lifted, gay and lesbian
couples can once again legally marry in California.
The move comes two days after the
Supreme Court, in Hollingsworth v. Perry, dismissed an appeal
in the case, ruling that Protect Marriage, the sponsors of
Proposition 8, did not have legal standing to defend the law.
The case involves two gay couples –
Paul Katami and Jeff Zarillo and Kris Perry and Sandy Stier – who
despite a 2008 California Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay
nuptials were unable to marry because of Proposition 8.
Voters approved Proposition 8 within
months after the court's ruling.
The American Foundation for Equal
Rights (AFER) formed in 2009 specifically to file the case
challenging the constitutionality of the ban.
Supporters celebrated the Supreme
Court's decision on Wednesday not knowing when the Appeals Court
would lift its stay or whether opponents would file additional
challenges.