🤓 Just 1 week into 2025: These 7 AI-picked stocks are up 9%+ eachUnlock Stocks

Idaho governor says he will not appeal gay marriage ruling

Published 10/14/2014, 07:12 PM
Updated 10/14/2014, 07:20 PM
© Reuters Jody and Maria May-Chang greet as couples gather at the Ada County Courthouse to apply for same-sex marriage licenses in Boise

(Reuters) - Idaho's Republican governor said on Tuesday he would not challenge a federal appeals court ruling that made gay marriage legal in the state, removing any remaining uncertainty over the future for same-sex couples.

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter said he continued to believe the federal courts were wrong to abandon what he called the sanctity of "traditional" marriage, and he accused them of undermining the will of Idaho voters and states' rights.

"But we are a civil society that respects the rule of law," he said in a brief statement. "We have done all we can through the courts for now to defend traditional marriage in Idaho."

Otter's acquiescence means enforcement of the ruling issued a week ago by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals takes effect on Wednesday morning in Idaho.

The clerk of Latah County, in northwest Idaho, which includes the college town of Moscow, said she issued her first license to a lesbian couple on Friday afternoon after getting guidance from county legal advisers.

But it appeared that clerks elsewhere waited for the 9th Circuit to issue a mandate for its ruling to come into force.

The 9th Circuit's ruling last Tuesday, which also legalized same-sex nuptials in Nevada, had been put on hold after Idaho officials requested a temporary stay. That hurdle was lifted on Friday by a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Barriers to gay matrimony tumbled state by state last week during days of back-and-forth federal court actions that could soon see legal same-sex marriage extended to 35 states.

© Reuters. Jody and Maria May-Chang greet as couples gather at the Ada County Courthouse to apply for same-sex marriage licenses in Boise

In court papers filed with the 9th Circuit on Monday, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said his office was withdrawing its request for a stay, and he cited the U.S. Supreme Court's action last week that left intact lower court rulings striking down gay marriage bans in five other states.

(Reporting by Daniel Wallis in Denver; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Peter Cooney)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.