The
California
Supreme
Court
on
Thursday
invalidated
the
marriages
of
nearly
4,000
same-sex
couples
and
ruled
unanimously
that
San
Francisco
Mayor
Gavin
Newsom
exceeded
his
authority
when
he
ordered
City
Hall
to
begin
issuing
marriage
licenses
to
gay
couples
earlier
this
year.
The
court
did
not
rule
on
the
constitutionality
of
the
state’s
prohibition
of
marriage
for
gays
and
lesbians.
That
larger
issue
is
expected
to
be
addressed
in
a
lawsuit
now
working
its
way
through
the
courts.
“We
are
profoundly
disappointed
in
today’s
decision,”
said
John
Davidson,
senior
counsel
at
Lambda
Legal.
“I
know
a
few
couples
who
got
married
and
are
hurt
by
today’s
decision.
Their
marriages
have
always
been
a
bit
insecure
but
they
did
feel
and
act
married.
These
judges
annulled
their
marriages
without
hearing
from
them.
Imagine
how
a
straight
couple
would
feel
if
they
read
in
the
newspapers
that
their
marriage
was
invalidated.”
Newsom,
a
Democrat,
gained
national
attention
on
Feb.
12
when
he
ordered
San
Francisco
clerks
to
issue
marriage
licenses
to
same-sex
couples.
In
a
separate
5-2
vote
this
week,
the
justices
decided
to
nullify
the
marriages
performed
between
February
and
March
11,
the
day
the
court
ordered
San
Francisco
to
stop
issuing
the
licenses.
The
court
ruled
unanimously
that
the
city
violated
the
law
when
it
issued
marriage
certificates
to
gay
and
lesbian
couples,
since
voters
approved
legislation
in
March
2000
defining
marriage
as
a
union
between
a
man
and
woman.
The
unanimous
decision
addressed
the
question
of
whether
or
not
a
civil
magistrate
has
the
authority
to
interpret
the
state’s
constitution.
Chief
Justice
Ronald
George
noted
that
the
decision
doesn’t
address,
“the
substantive
legal
rights
of
same
sex
couples.
In
actuality,
the
legal
issue
before
us
implicates
the
interest
of
all
individuals
in
ensuring
that
public
officials
execute
their
official
duties
in
a
manner
that
respects
the
limits
of
the
authorities
granted
to
them
as
officeholders,”
according
to
an
AP
report.
Both
lawsuits
were
filed
by
state
Attorney
General
Bill
Lockyer
and
the
Arizona-based
Christian
law
firm
Alliance
Defense
Fund.
The
ruling
upset
many
backers
of
marriage
equality
for
same-sex
couples.
The
Human
Rights
Campaign,
the
nation’s
largest
gay
and
lesbian
rights
group,
said
it
was
disappointed
with
the
ruling.
People
For
the
American
Way
President
Ralph
G.
Neas
said
that
while
the
ruling
is
“heartbreaking
for
thousands
of
committed
gay
and
lesbian
couples
and
for
their
friends
and
families,
it
is
far
from
the
final
word
on
the
struggle
toward
full
equality.”
“Our
nation’s
history
is
a
story
of
steady
progress
achieved
by
people
working
together
to
eradicate
discrimination
from
our
law
and
institutions,”
Neas
said.
“American
values
of
freedom,
fairness,
and
equality
under
the
law
will
be
victorious
in
the
end.”
Opponents
of
marriage
rights
for
same-sex
couples
rejoiced
in
the
decision.
The
conservative
Family
Research
Council,
which
filed
an
amicus
brief
with
the
California
Supreme
Court,
praised
the
ruling.
“Today’s
ruling
reinforces
once
again
that
when
one
rogue
mayor
or
any
other
elected
official
ignores
the
rule
of
law,
they
will
be
held
accountable,”
said
Tony
Perkins,
president
of
the
Family
Research
Council.
Joe
Crea
can
be
reached
at
jcrea@washblade.com.
