#LoveWins

Couldn't have said it better myself 😉

Oh happy day!

Marriage equality in Virginia? Heck yeah! This morning the Court issued additional orders from its September 29 Conference.   Most notably, the Court denied review of all seven of the petitions arising from challenges to state bans on same-sex marriage.  This means that the lower-court decisions striking down bans in Indiana, Wisconsin, Utah, Oklahoma, and Virginia …

Been buried

Yeah, it's been like the picture here. The start of the semester always brings new challenges, no matter how much time I spend preparing in advance. Add to that the wife's surgery - with another one scheduled next Monday - and it makes for a real time crunch. Something has to give - and it's …

ICYMI: Next step towards marriage equality

My latest op-ed, title above, appeared in The Virginian-Pilot Thursday. In it, I discuss the correct decision by those involved in Virginia's marriage equality case to appeal the 4th Circuit decision in Bostic v. Schaefer to the U. S. Supreme Court. I have been hearing rumblings that some supporters of marriage equality didn't want the decision …

4th Circuit: Marriage ban invalid

Monday afternoon, a panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court's ruling that Virginia's marriage equality ban is unconstitutional. The 2-1 decision (pdf) represents the next step in the march to the U.S. Supreme Court. The only question is how we get there. The defendants could appeal for a hearing …

One year ago today

A year ago this time, I was heading to Worcester, Maryland to get married. Right now, I'm  waiting for the decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on the Bostic case. Releasing it today would be a very nice anniversary present. I witnessed the original arguments in this case but and was, obviously, thrilled …

Q’Pac: 6-1 support medical marijuana, 50% marriage equality

In a poll released this morning, Quinnipiac found support among Virginia voters for medical marijuana to be 84%, although that support does not extend to recreational use: Support for legalizing marijuana for personal use is 46 percent, with 48 percent opposed. Democrats support the measure 58 - 35 percent, with Republicans opposed 68 - 27 …

Marriage equality case fast-tracked in 4th Circuit

From the AFER press release yesterday: Richmond, VA – On Monday, March 10, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted AFER’s proposed motion for an expedited briefing schedule in Virginia’s marriage equality case, Bostic v. Schaefer (formerly Bostic v. Rainey). On February 13, 2014, the Federal District Court for the Eastern …

Texas, too

Texas joins the chorus of states where a federal judge has declared its marriage equality ban unconstitutional. Meanwhile, here in Virginia, the ACLU, which has a separate lawsuit pending in the Western District of Virginia, is seeking to join with the Bostic case in the Eastern District, although it doesn't look like an amicable pairing. …

Happy Valentine’s Day

I arrived home later than usual last night. My bride of almost 33 years had a surprise waiting: a dozen roses - ten red ones surrounded by two white ones. Within an hour or so, the news broke: Virginia's ban on our marriage had been ruled unconstitutional. Combined, these make for probably the best Valentine's …