Tennesee Judge Trying to Flex on Supreme Court and Gay Marriage With 'Limp Wrist' Ruling

A judge in Tennessee is refused to grant a divorce to a straight couple to make a statement over the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling.

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A state judge in Tennessee is trying to flex on the U.S. Supreme Court by refusing to grant a divorce to a straight couple, basically, it seems, because he's mad about gay marriage

Judge Jeffrey Atherton dismissed a case by Pamela E. Bumgardner against Thomas A. Bumgardner because, he said, the Supreme Court's ruling that gay marriage must be allowed everywhere  "preempted state courts from addressing marriage/divorce litigation altogether."

"With the U.S. Supreme Court having defined what must be recognized as a marriage, it would appear that Tennessee's judiciary must now await the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court as to what is not a marriage, or better stated, when a marriage is no longer a marriage," Altherton said, according to Chattanoogan.com.

So, according to Altherton's logic, he can't even rule on a divorce without the highest court in our country weighing in on it. 

Altherton also said in his opinion that the Supreme Court's way of doing things these days, "with its iron fist and limp wrist," is making things hard on state-level courts. 

Man, we all disagree with our bosses sometimes, but casually tossing out the gay slur in an official court opinion seems a little bit like someone's throwing a temper tantrum.

 

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