Louisiana’s gay marriage ruling stayed pending appeal

A RULING last week in the US state of Louisiana that declared the same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional has been stayed after a request by the state’s Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.

According to The Times-Picayune, Caldwell’s office filed a motion for suspensive appeal last Thursday, which stays a judgement pending appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Caldwell spokesperson Laura Gerdes said that this meant same-sex marriage was still not permitted, nor were interstate same-sex marriages recognised.

In a separate ruling earlier this month, a federal judge upheld the Deep South state’s gay marriage ban, calling it a “lifestyle choice”.

The news of Louisiana’s gay marriage stay comes just as the US Supreme Court met on Monday to start reviewing appeals regarding same-sex marriage bans in force in Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin.

So far 18 states plus the District of Columbia have officially legalised same-sex marriage.