A Federal Judge has ruled that the plaintiffs, (just the three couples who brought the lawsuit) must have their marriages from other states recognized in Tennessee. This is a novel approach to the issue.
Until the court reviews the case at a later time and determines if Marriage Equality exists for the entire state of Tennessee, the three couples who were married elsewhere and then moved to Tennessee must have their individual marriages recognized immediately.
Yeah Tennessee!
Have a good weekend.
Please share widely!
First, as you note the decision only applies to the three couples who filed the suit. It does nothing for any other couple married in another state, or for same-sex couple’s who’d like to marry in Tennessee any time soon.
Second, it’s just a preliminary injunction. It means that the state cannot enforce its discriminatory laws against these couples while the case is pending before the court. It’s a good sign, because preliminary injunctions depend in part on a prediction that the plaintiffs are likely to win the case. But, as the judge wrote, the possibility remains that they will lose in the end. In that case the preliminary injuction would be wiped away.
Third, let’s hold off on the “Yeah Tennessee!” Tennessee hasn’t done a thing to deserve any praise. It’s actually fighting the lawsuit, making the same hateful and stupid arguments other states have made. As a state, it will have to be dragged kicking and screaming.
Is for the residents of Tennessee, not the state itself. As we are seeing in Utah and Oklahoma, even if the state is being forced, kicking and screaming, like some 2 year old and taking a bath, this does advance the speed at which opposition to Marriage Equality evaporates within the state. So my prediction is that Marriage Equality will come to everyone in Tennessee, whether the state fights this in court or not, and as such, Yeah for the residents of Tennessee.
being the last state to accept Marriage Equality. When last we argued over the prediction, Utah was the clear winner in the “Which State Will Be Last” guessing, but now that that is upended, I am still going with West Virginia as the last hold out.
WV is one of the 28 states where marriage discrimination is being challenged in federal court, so it is unlikely to be the last holdout.
Wow or should I say, Excellent!
There are cases in too many states for me to keep count where same-sex couples are challenging s-s marriage bans since SCOTUS’s DOMA decision. This TN decision was preceded by similar decisions in UT, NV and others. You can keep up to date on all the filings in all these cases at the Prop 8 Trial Trackers (now renamed to Equality Trial Trackers, I think) at this link.
Aha! Freedom to Marry has the master list! Currently there are 55 cases in 28 states. 🙂