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This week, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, which has jurisdiction over the district courts in the states of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia, issued a 2-1 ruling that said, under the Constitution, gay men and lesbians do have a right to marry. Said the three-judge panel, “Inertia and apprehension are not legitimate bases for denying same sex couples due process and equal protection of the laws.”

Maryland already has marriage equality. North Carolina’s Attorney General is dropping it, and West Virginia’s attorney general is still undecided, but South Carolina is determined to keep their ban. SC Governor Nikki Haley released a statement saying, “This administration will continue to uphold the will of the people.” Continuing, “Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide this issue, and until that time, South Carolina will continue to be governed by the laws of our state.”

Supporters of Virginia’s ban on marriages between same sex couples now have 21 days to file an appeal with the full 4th Circuit or with the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Carrie Stone