Same-sex couples in North Carolina will soon be able to marry, after a federal judge lifts two stay.Â
U.S. District Judge William Osteen has lifted stays on two cases, paving the way for same-sex marriage in North Carolina.Â
“Lifting the stays means the court is now taking up the cases again, instead of leaving them on hold,” the Charlotte Observer explains.
A formal decision appears likely soon, but no timetable exists. There are two federal judges with cases before them who could act: U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger or U.S. District Judge William Osteen.
N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper, who stopped defending the state’s same-sex marriage ban after the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Virginia, alerted county Register of Deed offices on Tuesday to be prepared to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The ACLU “expects Osteen to rule that gay North Carolinians may marry as soon as late Wednesday afternoon or Thursday,” WNCN reports.
The News & Observer reports this latest development “means that gay couples could get licenses to marry in this state on Wednesday.”
Equality North Carolina reacted via Twitter:
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