UPDATED: Federal Judge Appointed By Bush Strikes Down Arizona Same-Sex Marriage Ban

A federal judge has just ruled Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. What does this mean?

Judge John W. Sedwick has just ruled that a same-sex marriage ban in Arizona is unconstitutional. He also is refusing to stay his ruling, meaning his ruling is effective immediately, and same-sex couples may be able to marry soon if not today, based on Arizona law.

“A stay of this decision to allow defendants to appeal is not warranted.,” Judge Sedwick wrote. “It is clear that an appeal to the Ninth Circuit would not succeed.”

He also warned defendants to not appeal his ruling, as “the High Court will turn a deaf ear on any request for relief from the Ninth Circuit’s decision.”

The case is Majors v. Horne. Above in the photo are the plaintiffs, Karen Bailey and Nelda Majors, who have been a couple for 56 years.

Judge Sedwick was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush.

UPDATE I: Last month, Judge Sedwick issued an emergency order requiring the State of Arizona to recognize the same-sex marriage of a couple together 45 years, just after one husband passed away.

UPDATE II: Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson reports Judge Sedwick “issued summary judgment in favor of plaintiff same-sex couples in two separate lawsuits challenging Arizona’s ban on gay nuptials,” Connolly v. Jeanes and Majors v. Horne.

 

Hat tip: Chris Geidner at Buzzfeed
Image: Lambda Legal