Federal judge strikes down gay marriage ban in South Carolina, state continues to fight

Federal judge strikes down gay marriage ban in South Carolina, state continues to fight
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Federal district Judge Richard Gergel has overturned South Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage, the Charleston Post and Courier reports — following the state's continuing efforts to block rulings by federal courts on the issue.

Judge Gergel based his decision on the ruling this past July by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, whose regional jurisdiction includes South Carolina, and on which the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal. Those events spurred Charleston County to prepare to issue marriage licenses to gay couples a month ago — but the process was then halted by the South Carolina Supreme Court, at the request of the state Attorney General, pending the resolution of lawsuits.

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