JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A federal appeals court is telling judges in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas they must allow gay marriage because the U.S. Supreme Court says so.
The ruling Wednesday by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals instructs federal district judges to conclude cases in those states by legalizing the practice in line with last week’s Supreme Court ruling.
The move clears one of the final procedural roadblocks in the three cases, which had been pending before the New Orleans-based court. The 5th Circuit had heard arguments in the appeals, but hadn’t ruled.
People seeking legalization of same-sex marriage had won cases in Mississippi and Texas, but lost in Louisiana.
The appeals court is removing its block on the cases and telling district judges to move quickly to issue final rulings.