appeals court

Question

America’s Supreme Court issued an order postponing gay marriages in Virginia, a day before nuptials were due to begin. An appeals court had ruled that same-sex marriages could proceed.

These sentences make me confused because I don't know if the court supports the gay's right in marriage. At the first sentence, the court postponed gay marriages. However in the second sentence, the court had ruled it could proceed. So could you tell me what the court wants to do? Or these two sentences are just indicative?

Ugy · Accepted Answer

They're two different courts.

Rpsh · Answer

I know what is Supreme Court, but what is appeals court?

Ugy · Answer

This is off-topic for an forum about English but there are some clues http://www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/UnderstandingtheFederalCourts/CourtofAppeals.aspx and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_courts_of_appeals.

CalifJim · Answer

rpshThese sentences make me confused because I don't know if the court supports the gay's right in marriage.

The court system in the U.S. is very likely to make us all confused, so don't feel like the Lone Ranger.

The important point here is that a court case consists of an argument between two conflicting parties, and that starts in a lower court, for example, in a State Court. One of the two parties wins the case. At that point, the loser can enter an appeal to a higher court, a District Court. (Each district covers several states.) This is the "appeals court" or "appellate court". The appeals court can uphold or strike down the decision of the lower court. It was one of these appeals courts that ruled, in the case at hand, that same-*** marriages could proceed.

If the parties involved in the District Court (appeals court) case are still dissatisfied with the results, they can ask the Supreme Court (the highest court in the U.S.) to intervene. In the case at hand the Supreme Court intervened on the side of those who did not like the appeals court's decision and ordered, in opposition to the decision of the appeals court, that same-*** marriages could not proceed, presumably until the case was resolved more satisfactorily by the lower courts. The text you quoted does not recount the reasoning by which the Supreme Court reached their decision to contradict the decision of the lower (appeals) court. Neither does it say under what conditions the postponement will be lifted so as to allow same-*** marriages to proceed in Virginia.

In short, regarding same-*** marriage, apparently a State court said "No". Then an appeals court said "Yes". Then the Supreme Court said "No, not yet. Maybe later."

By the way, as far as I know, the Supreme Court of the United States has never stated explicitly whether they recognize a right of gay people to marry. They have never heard a case that has required them to take an explicit stand on that question.

CJ

Rpsh · Answer

Thank you!

Rpsh · Answer

Got it, so detailed! Thank you so much!

appeals court

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