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Nos. 14-2225(L), 14-2228, 14-2230, 14-2278, & 14-2279

In the United States Court of Appeals

for the Fourth Circuit

GENERAL SYNOD OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, et al.,

Plaintiff-Appellees,
v.

THOM TILLIS, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

and PHIL BERGER, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate,

Movants-Appellants,

and

DREW REISINGER, Register of Deeds for Buncombe County, et al.,

Defendants,

and

ROY COOPER, Attorney General of North Carolina et al.,

Intervenor.

On Appeal from the United States District Court

Western District of North Carolina

The Honorable Judge Max O. Cogburn

United States District Court Judge
Case No. 3:14-cv-00213

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MARCIE FISHER-BORNE et al.,

Plaintiff-Appellees,
v.

THOM TILLIS, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

and PHIL BERGER, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate,

Intervenors/Defendants-Appellants,

and

JOHN W. SMITH et al.,

Defendants,

and

ROY COOPER, appearing in a Representative capacity on behalf of the State of

North Carolina

Intervenor.

On Appeal from the United States District Court

Middle District of North Carolina

The Honorable Judge William L. Osteen

United States District Court Judge
Case No. 1:12-cv-00589

ELLEN W. GERBER et al.,

Plaintiff-Appellees,
v.

THOM TILLIS, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

and PHIL BERGER, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate,


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Intervenors/DefendantsAppellants,

and

JEFF THIGPEN, Register of Deeds for Guilford County, et al.,

Defendants,

and

ROY COOPER, appearing in a Representative capacity on behalf of the State of

North Carolina

Intervenor.

On Appeal from the United States District Court

Middle District of North Carolina

The Honorable Judge William L. Osteen

United States District Court Judge
Case No. 1:14-cv-00299

APPELLEES RESPONSE TO APPELLANTS

MOTION FOR STAY OF PROCEEDINGS


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Appellees and cross-appellants Ellen W. Gerber, Pearl Berlin, Lyn

McCoy, Jane Blackburn, Esmeralda Mejia, and Christina Ginter-Mejia, for herself
and as guardian ad litem for J.G.-M., Marcie Fisher-Borne, for herself and as
guardian ad litem for M.F.-B., a minor, Chantelle Fisher-Borne, for herself and as
guardian ad litem for E.F.-B., Terri Beck, Leslie Zanaglio, for herself and as
guardian ad litem for T.B.Z. and D.B.Z., minors, Shana Carignan, Megan Parker,
for herself and as guardian ad litem for J.C., a minor, Leigh Smith, Crystal
Hendrix, for herself and as guardian ad litem for J.H.-S., a minor, Dana Draa, Lee
Knight Caffery, for herself and as guardian ad litem for M.M.C.-D, M.L.C.-D.,
minors, Shawn Long, and Craig Johnson, for himself and as guardian ad litem for
I.J.-L., a minor (collectively Appellees) respectfully respond to the Courts
December 18, 2014 request for a response to Appellants Motion for Stay of
Proceedings.
This Courts opinion in Bostic v. Schaefer, 760 F.3d 352 (4th Cir.
2014), unambiguously requires that the decision belowthat Appellees
constitutional rights are violated by North Carolinas prohibition on same sex
marriagebe affirmed. The Supreme Court denied review of Bostic. Schaefer v.
Bostic, 135 S. Ct. 308 (2014); Rainey v. Bostic, 135 S. Ct. 286 (2014); McQuigg v.
Bostic, 135 S. Ct. 314 (2014). The Supreme Court also has denied all applications
for stays of injunctions in marriage cases since it denied certiorari in three circuit
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decisions striking down laws that excluded same-sex couples from marriage. See
Armstrong v. Brenner, No. 14A650, 2014 WL 7210190 (Dec. 19, 2014) (denying
application for stay pending appeal in Florida marriage case); Wilson v. Condon,
No. 14A533, 83 U.S.L.W. 3311, 2014 WL 6474220 (Nov. 20, 2014) (same in
South Carolina marriage case); Moser v. Marie, 135 S. Ct. 511 (2014) (same in
Kansas marriage case); Parnell v. Hamby, 135 S. Ct. 399 (2014) (same in Alaska
marriage case); Otter v. Latta, 135 S. Ct. 345 (2014) (denying Idahos application
for stay pending a petition for certiorari).
Consequently, Appellees primary concern is to minimize any delay in
resolving this appeal and avoid any uncertainty that may exist regarding their
rights while the appeal is pending. Thus, to the extent Appellants wish to bring
their appeal to the United States Supreme Court, they should acknowledge that
summary affirmance by this Court is appropriate, and move for the entry of
summary affirmance on the basis that Bostic controls (see Fed. R. App. P. 27 and
36), rather than seeking a stay that will only delay this appeal in the event the
Supreme Court denies certiorari.
For the reasons stated above, Appellees oppose the Motion for Stay of
the Proceedings.
Dated: December 22, 2014
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Respectfully submitted,
Rose A. Saxe
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004-2400
Telephone: (212) 549-2500
Facsimile: (212) 549-2646
rsaxe@aclu.org
Elizabeth O. Gill
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
39 Drumm Street
San Francisco, California 94111-4805
Telephone: (415) 343-1237
Facsimile: (415) 255-1478
egill@aclunc.org
Christopher Brook
ACLU of North Carolina
P.O. Box 28004
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-8004
Telephone: (919) 834-3466
Facsimile: (866) 511-1344
cbrook@acluofnc.org

Attorneys for the Appellees

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/s/ Garrard R. Beeney

Garrard R. Beeney
C. Megan Bradley
William R.A. Kleysteuber
Christopher A. Hazlehurst
Kerri-Ann Limbeek
Sarah E. Nudelman
SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004-2498
Telephone: (212) 558-4000
Facsimile: (212) 558-3588
beeneyg@sullcrom.com
bradleyc@sullcrom.com
kleysteuberr@sullcrom.com
hazlehurstc@sullcrom.com
limbeekk@sullcrom.com
nudelmans@sullcrom.com