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U.S. Supreme Court OKs same-sex marriage in Florida

By Danielle Haynes
The Supreme Court Justices of the United States sit for a formal group photo in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court in Washington on October 8, 2010. The Justices are (front row from left) Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, John G. Roberts (Chief Justice), Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; (back row from left) Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, Sameul Alito and Elena Kagan, the newest member of the Court. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg
The Supreme Court Justices of the United States sit for a formal group photo in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court in Washington on October 8, 2010. The Justices are (front row from left) Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, John G. Roberts (Chief Justice), Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; (back row from left) Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, Sameul Alito and Elena Kagan, the newest member of the Court. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Same-sex marriages in Florida will soon be allowed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday denied Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's request to extend the state's ban.

The country's highest court ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage in Florida -- voted into effect in 2008 -- will expire Jan. 6.

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U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle overturned the ban in August, saying it's "an obvious pretext for discrimination." He set the date of Jan. 6 for the ban to expire and the Supreme Court upheld that decision.

On Monday, Bondi filed an emergency petition with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to have the stay on the ban extended.

"The application for stay presented to Justice Thomas and by him referred to the Court is denied," the Supreme Court said Friday.

The court ruled 7-2 in favor of lifting the ban, with Thomas and Justice Antonin Scalia voting against it.

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