- By
- GEOFFREY A. FOWLER
- And
- VAUHINI VARA
SAN FRANCISCO—Same-sex marriages resumed in California on Friday afternoon, following a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the stay on a ruling overturning the state's Proposition 8 gay-marriage ban.
The surprise move sped up the usual timeline for implementing a decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled on Wednesday that a lower-court decision overturning the voter initiative should stand because the original proponents of the law lacked standing to defend it.
One of the first couples expected to marry, at San Francisco's City Hall, were Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, who were plaintiffs in the challenge to Proposition 8.
The court gave no explanation for its decision to lift its stay on Friday. The Ninth Circuit earlier in the week said that it wouldn't issue a ruling "for at least twenty-five days."
California's attorney general said lifting the stay means all counties should begin marrying couples. "Gay and lesbian couples have waited so long for this day and for their fundamental right to marry. Finally, their loving relationships are as legitimate and legal as any other," said Attorney General Kamala D. Harris in a statement.
A spokeswoman for ProtectMarriage.com, the group that defended Proposition 8 to the Supreme Court, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Write to Geoffrey A. Fowler at geoffrey.fowler@wsj.com and Vauhini Vara at vauhini.vara@wsj.com
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