Florida's AG Pam Bondi
has until midnight tonight 10/24 to respond to a request by the ACLU that a federal judge lift his stay on same-sex marriage in Florida.
Judge Robert Hinkle overturned Florida's same-sex marriage ban in late August, but immediately stayed his own ruling until the U.S. Supreme Court decided several similar lawsuits that had already gotten through federal appeals courts.
But on Oct. 6, the nation's highest court decided not to hear any of those cases, essentially allowing the rulings to go into effect — and all of them overturned bans on same-sex marriage.
The decision had far-reaching effects, legalizing same-sex marriage in five states and clearing the path in half a dozen more. Here in Florida, it meant the reason for Hinkle's stay was no longer relevant.
"We filed last Tuesday to have the stay lifted, so [the state] has until next Friday, the 24th, to respond," ACLU lawyer Daniel Tilley said. "And we certainly hope that we'll have an answer then."
So far, no response from Bondi, best known nationally as the Florida AG who
postponed a state execution to attend a fund raiser. Let's hope there's a fund raiser tonight.