Congratulations to those who were waiting:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday declined to extend a stay sought by Florida officials defending the state’s ban on same-sex marriages, allowing gay marriages to proceed in Florida next month.
Weddings would be allowed to start on Jan. 6 under an order by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta earlier this month.
Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court’s decision.
The high court’s order would make gay marriage legal in 36 U.S. states, including Florida.
In the past year, gay marriage advocates have largely prevailed in court rulings but a Cincinnati-based federal appeals court in November became the first to uphold gay marriage bans.
There’s still a small obstacle to be overcome. The Christian Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers organization is refusing to issue marriage licenses claiming that they might be sued for doing so.
Equality Florida, a group supporting gay marriage, said yesterday that attorneys and legal organizations will provide pro-bono services to clerks concerned about law suits.
“Clerks can stand in the doorway and try to block equality or they can welcome gay couples who have waited for decades for this moment,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida.