 its ruling, declaring the Question 711 amendment unconstitutional for the usual reasons seen in many similar cases in other states, it:
Responses to the ruling were predictable:
Judge Kern issued a stay of his ruling so that same-sex couples would not be able to marry until at least the Court of Appeals had ruled in the case. He did not rule about the DOMA law. That had already been addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court during mid-2013 in the case Windsor v. United States.
On 2014-JAN-14, Tulsa County Clerk and defendant, Sally Howe Smith, filed an appeal of Judge Kern's ruling with the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. She received legal support from Alliance Defending Freedom -- a conservative Christian legal defense group, and from the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office.
The Court heard oral arguments in the case starting 2014-APR-14.
On 2014-JUL-18, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the changes created in the state Constitution by Question 711 were unconstitutional. The ban was void and unenforceable. The ruling was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
As in many other states recently, a chasm has opened up between religious, political, and constitutional conservatives and liberals in the U.S.:
Unfortunately, no significant effort is being made to resolve this difference of opinion through dialogue. Conservatives and liberals seem to prefer throwing verbal rocks at each other, rather than seeking a consensus. More details.
2014-OCT-06: A surprise development:
Oklahoma's appeal of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, along with appeals from four other states (IN, VA, UT, WI). Marriage licenses were issued to same-sex couples in Oklahoma starting on OCT-06, and couples began to marry. This decision by the Supreme Court subsequently brought same-sex marriage to six additional states: (CO, KS, NC, SC,WV,WY). More details.
This decision will bring same-sex marriage to 11 more states to make a total of 30 states and the District of Columbia with marriage equality. 60% of Americans will live in locations where same-sex couples can marry.
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