NORTH CAROLINA: GOP & NOM Face Noon Deadline For Marriage Arguments

The Charlotte Observer recaps:

California law professor John Eastman took little time getting involved in the fight, filing motions in two of North Carolina’s marriage cases to give the General Assembly a role and more time to make its arguments. In a ruling Thursday night, U.S. District Judge William Osteen gave legislators only part of what they wanted – denying them the eight days they sought to review the files, and setting a noon Friday deadline for the Republicans to file expanded arguments. In an order submitted by Osteen late Thursday, the judge said the legislators had not persuaded him of their need for extra time. The legislators, Osteen said, “allege that additional time is required to ‘investigate the files and conduct appropriate research in order to adequately prepare the pleading.’” Osteen said he was aware that only a short time had passed since the Supreme Court decision, but “these cases have been pending for a lengthy period of time and the defendants have been clear in their position” that what happened in Virginia could determine what happened in North Carolina.

A local legal expert rants: "Are North Carolina taxpayers paying for this gambit? If so, they should be incensed because it is a pure waste. North Carolina cannot win." It seems possible that North Carolina could become this week's ninth state by the end of the day. It's certainly been that kind of week.