Cheat Sheet: Prop 8 Case Closed

Breaking: a California judge has ordered the federal court case challenging Proposition 8 closed.

Haven’t been following the four year saga? Check out our cheat sheet below.

What is it:

• Proposition 8 was passed by Cali voters in 2008 by a vote of 52.3% to 47.7%
• The constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage was approved just months after the state’s Supreme Court had ruled in favor of gay marriage.
  • However, marriages that occurred before the election would still be recognized under state law.

What’s happened:

• After a lengthy legal battle, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' June 2012 order saw the Prop 8 case heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Opponents of same-sex marriage failed to garner the majority vote of full circuit judges.
  • As a result, the 9th Circuit Court rejected the request to review its own ruling throwing out the voter-approved ban on gay marriage.
• Lawyers in the case expected the bill to be reviewed this fall and a decision made on its constitutionally next June.
• Federal Judge James Ware, who took over the federal case challenging Prop 8, ordered the case closed today.

What now:

• Following Judge Ware’s ruling same-sex couples CAN now get married in Cali.
• However, a stay (hold) of the case was granted by the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals, which means that couples will have to wait on the Supreme Court's ruling to marry.