Appeals Court: Same-Sex Marriages on Hold Until At Least December

A federal appeals court has granted an indefinite stay in the Proposition 8 case and has barred same-sex marriages in California until at least Dec. 6 as it considers an appeal of a lower-court decision that found the ban unconstitutional.

The ruling comes as proponents of same-sex marriages had hoped the unions would have been allowed as early as Wednesday as the appeal went forward.

In response to the federal appeals court decision, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors issued the following statement: "We are pleased that the 9th Circuit Court is expediting the case against Proposition 8 and is considering whether the groups that placed Proposition 8 on the ballot have standing to appeal. We are extremely disappointed that loving same-sex couples will have to wait to marry and that we are once again being denied our fundamental rights. However, we are optimistic for a favorable ruling, and we're hopeful that same-sex couples will be able to marry as soon as possible."

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the stay in the Proposition 8 case. Supporters of California's Proposition 8 are appealing a ruling from Judge Vaughn Walker, who deemed the law unconstitutional.

The city of West Hollywood and the Los Angeles County Registar-Recorder's Office was planning to perform civil ceremonies beginning Wednesday on a first-come first-serve basis, but that has now been put on hold.