CALIFORNIA MARRIAGES ON HOLD

Opponents of same-sex marriage have successfully lodged an appeal to suspend gay marriages from being licensed in California.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to stay last week’s ruling to allow same-sex marriages in the state while it considers the constitutionality of the Prop 8 ban on gay marriage.

Last week Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the state of California could start issuing same-sex marriage licenses from August 18 based on his previous ruling that the Prop 8 ban was unconstitutional.

The Ninth Circuit Court, which effectively suspended Walker’s judgment, announced that it would deal with the matter as soon as possible and has scheduled to start its hearings in early December. It did not, however, set a date by which it would make a ruling on the issue.

Legal experts have questioned the legal right of the organisations supporting the same-sex marriage ban to bring the matter to the appeal court when the state of California itself, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown, is not appealing Walker’s ruling.