Main | Friday, February 20, 2015

NEBRASKA: Judge Vows Quick Action On Request To End Marriage Ban

Judging by the tweets of those in the courthouse, things went very well at yesterday's marriage hearing in Nebraska. Via Omaha's NBC affiliate:
A federal judge is promising quick action on a request to tell the state of Nebraska that it immediately must recognize same-sex marriages while a lawsuit challenging the state's gay marriage ban proceeds. A hearing before U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon in Omaha began at 2 p.m. Judge Battaillon said he hasn't seen a courtroom this full in a while. A number of same sex couples were on hand anxiously waiting a decision. He said while he would act swiftly, he didn't expect a decision today. The judge already decided not to delay the lawsuit in Nebraska while the U.S. Supreme Court is considering the issue. The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska filed the motion for an injunction that would order the state to recognize same-sex marriages. The lawsuit was filed in November by seven same-sex couples seeking to have their marriages recognized despite the state's ban passed by voters in 2000.
We might know as soon as Monday. In the first clip below, ACLU lawyers speak first, then you'll hear from the plaintiffs. In the second clip Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson holds a lengthy post-hearing press conference. (Audio is rather low.) Petersen predictably warns of "chaos" if couples get married before he can get a stay from the Eighth Circuit Court.

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