Legal Question About Prop 8

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

Anybody in CA know what the legal status of existing same-sex marriages will be once Prop 8 goes into effect?

[123infinity]

1. It is in effect...no more licenses are being issued. There is no effect on previous legal unions.

I know...it makes my head hurt too.
:eyes:

[AntiFascist]

2. It's already been put into effect...

gays and lesbians can no longer get married in CA, until there is a stay and/or the initiative then gets overturned.

The CA government is assuring us that existing marriages won't be effected, but the Religious Right seems to have other plans.

[AldebTX]

3. I Heard the California Secretary of State was Contacted

and his ruling is that Prop. 8 makes no mention of existing marriages and therefore they are not affected. However, my partner's family lives in California and they said the pro 8 faction has made it very clear that they are going to challenge the marriages because it would leave a legal argument open that "some" gay people were allowed to get married and others weren't.

[Maat]

4. They can try to challenge, but it won't get anywhere.

This makes a whole lot of money for Religious Right leaders (they take some of the donated money for their own organizations, so that their handsome salaries can be paid). If it gets sent directly to an advocacy group, I'm betting that there are some nice consulting fees paid, or the like. This is about money and power; but, they'd better be careful, for the backlash will be unbelievable!

The information regarding the married couples is at www.nclrights.org; Shannon Mintner was lead counsel on In re Marriage, the initial case, and will be the lead counsel getting it overturned.

Moreover, our attorney general, Jerry Brown, who enforces the laws, has stated that he will NOT act to, or cooperate in the effort to, overturn the marriages.