Update 1:53 p.m.: Marriage licenses are now being issued to same-sex couples in all three Historic Triangle municipalities, according to the clerk of circuit court offices in the Williamsburg-James City County and York-Poquoson courthouses.
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Update 11:22 a.m.: Same-sex marriages can begin in Virginia at 1 p.m. today, according to a tweet from Attorney General Mark Herring.
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Original Post 10:46 a.m.: The Supreme Court of the United States will not consider an appeal of a court decision striking down Virginia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, clearing the way for the issuance of marriage licenses to begin.
The decision to deny consideration of the appeal was handed down Monday. No information was provided for the court’s rationale for not accepting the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Arenda Wright Allen ruled the ban unconstitutional in February. An appeal of her decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals was denied, prompting the matter to be sent to the Supreme Court for consideration.
Monday’s announcement ends the case, leaving in place the appeals court decision to strike down the ban.
Cases from other states remain on a track toward the Supreme Court. Unless the court agrees to hear another case and then rules against same-sex marriage there, the marriages will remain legal in Virginia.
A timetable for the issuance of licenses in Virginia is not yet available.
Marriage licenses in Virginia are issued by circuit court clerks. As of Monday morning, the circuit court clerk’s offices in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court and York County Circuit Court have not yet received an order from the Supreme Court to begin issuing the licenses.
“This is a historic and long overdue moment for our Commonwealth and our country. On issues ranging from recognizing same-sex marriages to extending health care benefits to same-sex spouses of state employees, Virginia is already well-prepared to implement this historic decision,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a news release Monday. “Going forward we will act quickly to continue to bring all of our policies and practices into compliance so that we can give marriages between same-sex partners the full faith and credit they deserve.”
Del. William J. Howell (R-28), the speaker of the House of Delegates, issued a statement Monday expressing disappointment in the Supreme Court’s decision.
“The debate over Virginia’s constitutional amendment defining marriage needs a clear and decisive resolution from the Supreme Court,” Howell said. “The Court’s decision today leaves Virginians without an affirmative answer on this issue, unnecessarily prolonging the political debate and creating long-term uncertainty regarding the status of same-sex marriages in Virginia depending on the outcome of litigation in other parts of the country.”
Related Coverage:
- U.S. Supreme Court Grants Request to Delay Same-Sex Marriage in Virginia
- Federal Court: Same-Sex Marriages in Virginia Can Start Next Week
- Court Upholds Ruling, Declares Virginia’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
- Same-Sex Williamsburg Couple Seeks Marriage License
