(CMR) The government’s challenge to Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s same-sex ruling will be heard by the Court of Appeal starting tomorrow August 28. The appeal has been set down for three days.
In March the Chief Justice made ruled that the current definition of marriage between a man and a woman was unconstitutional. He ordered that the Marriage Law should be changed to include same-sex marriages.
Caymanian Chantelle Day and her partner Vickie Bodden Bush brought the matter to court after exhausting all other options. During the hearing, it was disclosed that they had written to Premier Alden McLaughlin and were completely ignored.
The government promptly made a unanimous decision to appeal the decision and requested a stay until the appeal could be heard. Three Court of Appeal judge s granted the stay until the hearing this week. The government has raised multiple grounds for its appeal including its contention that the Chief Justice has overstepped his powers.
The government has already stated that they will appeal the Court of Appeals' decision to the Privy Council should the decision not be favorable to them.
The same-sex debate has seen the largest protest ever from the local churches with several being held shortly after the original decision.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid