LGBT News Federal Judge to hear couple's challenge to Texas gay marriage ban

AlamoCity · Feb 12, 2014

Today, in my hometown, a federal judge will hold a hearing about granting a preliminary injunction against the state to prevent it from enforcing the constitutional same-sex marriage ban. There will later be a full trial, but this is for a temporary order against the state pending outcome of the litigation process. It will be interesting, if the judge issues the order, to see by how many votes the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals denies the stay (I'm guessing 3-0, if it's taken by a three-judge panel) given that that Circuit Court is considered one of the most conservative (and southern) circuits. Regardless, I sure do hope Greg Abbott (the Attorney General of Texas who wants to be governor) gets schooled and wouldn't mind a scathing order by the judge.

Here are two articles about the court hearing today:

The night before the hearing, KENS 5's Karen Grace sat down with a San Antonio same sex couple that is suing the state to strike down the gay marriage ban.

"It was love at first sight for me," said Mark Phariss.

Mark Phariss and Vic Holmes want to get married. But last October, when they applied for a marriage license from the Bexar County clerk, they say the county clerk's office refused to issue a marriage license because Holmes and Phariss are both men.

"She said you're kidding right," said Phariss. "We said uh no. So she essentially said we don't do that in Texas."

Now they are one of two Texas couples suing the state to strike down the gay marriage ban.

Phariss and Holmes will head to Federal Court in San Antonio this morning seeking an injunction to stop Texas from enforcing the state's same-sex marriage ban. They argue the law violates the United States Constitution.

"There's a dramatic change just since the constitutional ban was passed in 2005," said Phariss.

Governor Perry continues to back the ban and Attorney General Greg Abbott has vowed to defend the ban, as with the case of any state law challenged in court.

Supporters for the state's ban on same-sex marriage are expected to be at this morning's hearing in San Antonio including Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values, an organization that backs the same-sex marriage ban.

"The question here is why are people continuing to try to redefine marriage when in the state of Texas, the law has been very clear for years and historically has been very clear that marriage is defined as one way, between one man and one woman,"

"Traditional marriage is about two people who love each other and gender really doesn't make that much of a difference," said Holmes
Click to expand...

S.A. Federal Judge to hear couple's challenge to Texas gay marriage ban | kens5.com San Antonio

Here's the link to another article

Gay marriage gets day in San Antonio court - San Antonio Express-News

Ticklish Fish · Feb 12, 2014

LOL at "traditional marriage" argument.

Also, texas wasn't even as long as the US, talk about tradition, heh.

LGBT News Federal Judge to hear couple's challenge to Texas gay marriage ban

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LGBT News Federal Judge to hear couple's challenge to Texas gay marriage ban

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