Utah Asks Supreme Court To Block Same-Sex Unions

FILE - In this June 26, 2013, file photo, Sean Lewrence, of Philadelphia, holds up a flag during a rally for gay marriage, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Despite the Supreme Court's decision, gay marriage bans... FILE - In this June 26, 2013, file photo, Sean Lewrence, of Philadelphia, holds up a flag during a rally for gay marriage, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Despite the Supreme Court's decision, gay marriage bans still stand in Pennsylvania and roughly three dozen other states. Pennsylvania's constitution, however, does not ban gay marriage, as some other states' constitutions do. The gay marriage battle was one of the major headlines in Pennsylvania in 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File) MORE LESS
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Utah is asking the Supreme Court to stop same-sex marriages in the state, at least temporarily.

In papers filed Tuesday with Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the state asked her to overturn court decisions to let the marriages go forward. Sotomayor handles emergency requests from Utah and other Rocky Mountain states. She can act by herself or get the rest of the court involved.

Federal appellate judges have so far refused to put U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby’s ruling on hold while the state appeals. Shelby ruled Dec. 20 that Utah’s ban violated gay couples’ right to equal treatment under the law. More than 900 gay couples in Utah have gotten marriage licenses since the December ruling overturning a voter-approved ban on gay marriages in 2004.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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