With one month left before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans takes up the constitutionality of Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia has denied a motion to lift the stay on his ruling that struck down that ban. “Lifting the stay would not bring finality…
Bexar County Clerk ready to issue licenses if stay lifted on Texas marriage ban
The Texas Observer is reporting that Bexar County Clerk Gerard C. “Gerry” Rickhoff is ready to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples if U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia lifts the stay of his February decision that found the Texas equal marriage ban unconstitutional. On November 24, attorneys with Akin Gump, the law firm representing plaintiffs Vic…
Abbott responds to motion by plaintiffs to lift stay on Texas marriage ban
State Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a response on November 25 to a motion filed by the plaintiffs in the Texas equal marriage case asking Judge Orlando L. Garcia to lift the stay he imposed in February after finding the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. The motion was filed on November 24 by attorneys…
Motion filed to lift stay on Texas equal marriage ban
In a Facebook post on November 24, Mark Phariss, one of the plaintiffs in the Texas equal marriage case announced, “Our attorneys with Akin Gump filed a motion with the federal district court this morning to lift the stay.” Along with his post, Phariss added this excerpt from the motion: If something were to happen…
What to watch (out) for at the 84th Texas Legislature
The 84th session of the Texas Legislature convenes, for better or (probably) worse, in January and as Out In SA went to press in mid November, this session’s pre-filed bills were already making news, locally and nationally. Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) kicked off the pre-file period with SJR 10, the Restoring Religious Freedom Amendment.…
5th Circuit court to hear Texas marriage case in January
Despite the hope of LGBT activists that the case would be heard sooner, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans has tentatively scheduled arguments challenging Texas’ same-sex marriage ban for early next year, during the week of January 5. Mark Phariss and his partner Vic Holmes of Plano, along with…