South Carolina is paying about $215,000 in legal fees to two
couples who challenged the state’s ban on same-sex marriage in the
federal courts.
Same-sex couples sued in federal courts in Charleston and
Columbia for the right to be married or for South Carolina to recognize
their marriage performed out of state. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in
June that same-sex marriage is the law of the land.
In the Charleston case, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel
last month ordered that the state reimburse Colleen Condon and her
partner Nichols Bleckley just over $135,000 for legal fees.
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In the Columbia case, court documents filed earlier this
month show that state Attorney General Alan Wilson reached a settlement
on fees agreeing to pay Highway Patrol Trooper Katherine Bradacs and
U.S. Air Force retiree Tracie Goodwin $80,000 for their legal costs.
The couple, married earlier in the District of Columbia, had sued the state to have their marriage recognized.
They had originally sought $92,000 in fees and court costs.
Their petition said that included 265 hours of time devoted to the case
by three attorneys.
South Carolina paying $215K to gay marriage plaintiffs – LGBTQ Nation
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