This week in marriage equality, a federal judge in
Puerto Rico dismissed the marraige equality case in that US territory. The decision will be appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. You can read more about that ruling
here.
In Montana, a hearing has been set for the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment in the federal marriage equality case there on November 20 in Great Falls.
In Kansas, a federal judge had set a hearing date on the plaintiffs' motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in the marriage equality case in that state for today (October 24). The judge cancelled that hearing on Thursday. Apparently, attorneys for the plaintiffs (the ACLU) want to further review the state defendants' response brief which had just been filed. The plaintiffs have until Monday (Oct. 27) to file an additional brief. The judge will then decide whether to reschedule the hearing or to rule on the briefs alone.
In Mississippi, the Campaign for Southern Equality has filed a marriage equality lawsuit in that state. The plaintiffs will be represented by attorney Roberta Kaplan (Edie Windsor's attorney). And, a motion for a preliminary injunction has already been filed. The judge in that case has scheduled a hearing on that motion for November 12.
In Wyoming, the governor notified the district court in writing that the state defendants would not be appealing the marriage equality lawsuit in that case on October 21. The judge lifted the stay, and same-sex couples are marrying in Wyoming. Congratulations Wyoming!
In South Carolina, the plaintiffs in the first (there are now two) federal marriage equality case (filed in 2013) in that state filed a motion for summary judgment. In the second marriage equality case in SC, Lambda Legal has filed a motion for preliminary injunction and a motion for summary judgment. The judge has set up a briefing schedule in that case, and Lambda Legal has requested that the schedule be shortened and for an expedited ruling. South Carolina is part of the Fourth Circuit, so there should not be any question about how the judge should/will rule, because marriage equality is the law in that circuit.
In Arkansas, the judge presiding over that federal marriage equality case has scheduled a motions hearing for November 20. Interestingly, the state Supreme Court has scheduled oral argument for the state marriage equality case for November 20 as well.
Governor Otter in Idaho has asked the Ninth Circuit for an en banc hearing of the marriage equality case out of that state. (good luck with that)
And, Alaska state officials have asked the Ninth Circuit for an initial en banc hearing for the marriage equality case out of that state. (again, good luck with that)