California Supremes Vote Again for Marriage Confusion

The California Supreme Court was asked to delay their gay marriage ruling until the voters have a chance to act on a ballot proposition that just qualified for the November election. Well, we can't have voters making those decisions so the court said no:

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court today rejected petitions to delay its historic same-sex marriage decision, clearing the way for gay couples to marry later this month.

The court’s action on the case -- which makes it possible for same-sex unions to begin June 17 -- was unusually quick. Most appeals, even unsuccessful ones, trigger a 30- to 60-day delay in the effective date of a ruling. Acting in closed session, the court voted 4 to 3 to reject petitions by Christian groups that it reconsider its May 15 ruling. The court also refused to delay the effective date of the decision until after the November election, when voters will consider a constitutional amendment to reinstate the ban on same-sex marriage.

State urges high court not to delay same-sex marriages Gay marriage
The court's action means the marriage ruling becomes effective at 5 p.m. on June 16. Counties and cities are expected to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples the following day.

What this means is that "weddings" will start happening on June 17th and will continue at a furious pace until the California voters once again assert their will and ban gay marriage in the November vote. Marriages that have already occurred will probably stand, but because this is a constitutional amendment legal challenges against the intiative are unlikely to be successful. We'll have a mishmash of laws governing marriage in this state, and that will also cause issues for other states that will be sued to recognize California marriages.