Groups waiting for U.S. Supreme Court act on same-sex marriage cases
Posted: Oct 2, 2014 7:44 PM CDT | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 3:55 PM CDT
MADISON -- Wisconsin's same-sex marriage case is not on the recent list of cases the U.S. Supreme Court will hear.
The director of Madison's LGBT Outreach center says it just means more waiting.
\"It's not legal for LGBT people in Wisconsin to marry because the stay is still in place.\" said Steve Starkey, OutReach Executive Director.
The stay puts a hold on two court rulings overturning Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban.
Supreme Court expert, Ryan Owens, says that stay could disappear if the court announces it won't take Wisconsin's case.
\"If the court declines to hear the case, all that does is leave intact the rulings of all the circuit court decisions.\" Owens said.
The list of declined cases comes out next Monday. Owens says if the Supreme Court declines Wisconsin's case, it would let two court rulings go into effect, making same-sex marriage legal in Wisconsin.
He says, another thing the court could do is wait until its next conference on October 10th.
The justices could then decide then to hear the case, with a decision likely not coming until next summer.
\"I've thought a lot about this, but I really wouldn't be surprised either if they decline the case or if they grant the case.\" said Owens.
The ACLU is representing the group of couples fighting for same-sex marriage, and say today, they continue to prepare step in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.