ATLANTA — Lawyers for the state of Georgia have asked a federal judge to stop any action on a challenge to the state’s ban on gay marriage until the U.S. Supreme Court has a chance to rule on the issue.
The Supreme Court on Friday announced it will hear arguments on whether same-sex couples have the right to marry in every state. The cases will be argued in April, and a decision is expected by late June.
In a court filing Tuesday, lawyers for the state noted that the Supreme Court’s decision will certainly guide the future path of the Georgia case.
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A challenge to Georgia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was filed last April on behalf of seven people and is one of many such lawsuits nationwide.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge William Duffey rejected a motion by the state to dismiss the lawsuit, writing that the state failed to address how its interests are furthered by the ban on same-sex marriages and the refusal to recognize legal marriages performed in other states.
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