cv-14-427...feb 17, 2015  · cv-14-427 in the arkansas supreme court m. kendall wright, et al...

10
CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 NATHANIEL SMITH, MD, MPH, et al DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES' MOTION FOR THE IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF STAY C o m e s K e n d a l l W r i g h t , et al. Plaintiffs-Appellees herein, and respectfully submit their Motion for the Immediate Lifting of Stay and state: 1. That on May 15, 2014 this appeal was lodged in the Arkansas Supreme Court and on Motion of Appellants, this Court issued a stay of t h e l o w e r court ruling on May 16, 2014. It has been o v e r N i n e t e e n ( 1 9 ) M o n t h s since P l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s o r i g i n a l l y filed their complaint seeking an end to the irreparable harms suffered by them due to the denial of their constitutional rights. 2. This was the first such case filed in any court in the United States following t h e U n i t e d States Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor, 133 S.Ct. 2675 (2013). At that time only 13 states permitted same-sex marriage and the recognition thereof. Since that time 24 more states and the District of C o l u m b i a h a v e been added, p l a c i n g A r k a n s a s i n t h e m i n o r i t y with 12 other states who continue to deny these citizens their constitutional rights. Pg- 1

Upload: others

Post on 22-Sep-2020

0 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

CV-14-427 IN T H E ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT

M. K E N D A L L WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES

VS. Case No. CV-14-427

NATHANIEL SMITH, MD, MPH, et al DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS

P L A I N T I F F S - A P P E L L E E S ' MOTION FOR T H E IMMEDIATE L I F T I N G OF STAY

C o m e s K e n d a l l W r i g h t , e t a l . P l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s h e r e i n , a n d r e s p e c t f u l l y

s u b m i t t h e i r M o t i o n f o r t h e I m m e d i a t e L i f t i n g o f S t a y a n d s ta te :

1 . T h a t o n M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 t h i s a p p e a l w a s l o d g e d i n t h e A r k a n s a s

S u p r e m e C o u r t a n d o n M o t i o n o f A p p e l l a n t s , t h i s C o u r t i s s u e d a s t a y o f t h e l o w e r

c o u r t r u l i n g o n M a y 1 6 , 2 0 1 4 . I t h a s b e e n o v e r N i n e t e e n ( 1 9 ) M o n t h s s i n c e

P l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s o r i g i n a l l y f i l e d t h e i r c o m p l a i n t s e e k i n g a n e n d t o t h e

i r r e p a r a b l e h a r m s s u f f e r e d b y t h e m d u e t o t h e d e n i a l o f t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s .

2 . T h i s w a s t h e f i r s t s u c h case f i l e d i n a n y c o u r t i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

f o l l o w i n g t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n United States v . Windsor,

1 3 3 S . C t . 2 6 7 5 ( 2 0 1 3 ) . A t t h a t t i m e o n l y 13 s ta tes p e r m i t t e d s a m e - s e x m a r r i a g e

a n d t h e r e c o g n i t i o n t h e r e o f . S i n c e t h a t t i m e 2 4 m o r e s ta tes a n d t h e D i s t r i c t o f

C o l u m b i a h a v e b e e n a d d e d , p l a c i n g A r k a n s a s i n t h e m i n o r i t y w i t h 1 2 o t h e r s ta tes

w h o c o n t i n u e t o d e n y t h e s e c i t i z e n s t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s .

Pg- 1

Page 2: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

3 . I n l i g h t o f t h e c u r r e n t p o s i t i o n a n d d e c i s i o n s o f a n d b y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

S u p r e m e C o u r t , P l a i n t i f f s r e s p e c t f u l l y r e q u e s t t h a t t h i s C o u r t r e c o n s i d e r t h e

n e c e s s i t y o f i t s s t a y a n d i m m e d i a t e l y o r d e r t h a t s a i d s t a y b e v a c a t e d .

4. F o l l o w i n g t h e i s s u a n c e o f t h i s C o u r t ' s s t a y , o n O c t o b e r 6 , 2 0 1 4 t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t d e n i e d c e r t i o r a r i i n s e v e r a l cases, s i m i l a r t o t h e o n e

a t ba r , f r o m t h e F o u r t h , S e v e n t h a n d T e n t h C i r c u i t s , e a c h o f w h i c h h a d f o u n d s ta te

l a w s a n d / o r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a m e n d m e n t s b a n n i n g t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f a n d / o r

r e c o g n i t i o n o f s a m e - s e x m a r r i a g e s t o b e u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . A s a r e s u l t , a l l e x i s t i n g

s t a y s w e r e d i s s o l v e d . T h u s s a m e - s e x m a r r i a g e s b e c a m e l e g a l i n U t a h , O k l a h o m a

a n d m a n y o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n s . ( S e e Herbert v . Kitchen, 1 3 5 S . C t . 3 9 6 ( 2 0 1 4 ) ;

Smith v.Bishop, 1 3 5 S . C t . 2 7 1 ( 2 0 1 4 ) ; Rainey v . Bostic, 1 3 5 S . C t . 2 8 6 ( 2 0 1 4 ) .

5 . O n D e c e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s d e n i e d

t h e S t a t e o f F l o r i d a ' s r e q u e s t f o r a s t a y o f a n i n j u n c t i o n t h e r e b y r e q u i r i n g t h e

e n f o r c e m e n t o f s a m e - s e x m a r r i a g e s w h i l e t h e m a t t e r i s o n a p p e a l . ( S e e Armstrong

V. Brenner, 1 3 5 S . C t . 8 9 0 ( 2 0 1 4 ) .

6 . I n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5 t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t g r a n t e d p e t i t i o n s f o r

w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i i n f o u r cases w i t h i d e n t i c a l i s sues t o t h o s e o f t h e case a t ba r . O r a l

a r g u m e n t s a r e s c h e d u l e d f o r A p r i l 2 0 1 5 a n d a d e c i s i o n i s e x p e c t e d i n J u n e 2 0 1 5 .

S e e DeBoer v . Snyder, N o . 1 4 - 5 7 1 , 2 0 1 5 W L 2 1 3 6 5 0 ( U . S . J a n . 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 ) ; Bourke

V. Beshear, N o . 1 4 - 5 7 1 , 2 0 1 5 W L 2 1 3 6 5 1 ( ( U . S . J a n . 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 ) ; Obergefell v.

pg- 2

Page 3: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

Hodges, N o . 1 4 - 5 5 6 , 2 0 1 5 W L 2 1 3 6 4 6 ( U . S . J a n . 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 ) ; Tanco v . Haslam,

N o . 1 4 - 5 6 2 , 2 0 1 5 W L 2 1 3 6 4 8 ( U . S . J a n . 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 ) .

7 . N o w w i t h a f i n a l d e c i s i o n b y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t a

c e r t a i n t y , t h a t C o u r t h a s t a k e n t h e u n p r e c e d e n t e d s tep o f p e r m i t t i n g a p r e v i e w o f

t h e i r f i n a l d e c i s i o n . O n F e b r u a r y 9 , 2 0 1 5 t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t d e n i e d a

r e q u e s t b y t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a t o s t a y t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t

C o u r t f o r t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f A l a b a m a w h i c h h e l d A l a b a m a ' s b a n a n d n o n -

r e c o g n i t i o n o f s a m e s e x m a r r i a g e s t o b e i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e 1 4 * a m e n d m e n t t o t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n . Strange v . Searcy, N o . 1 4 A 8 4 0 , 2 0 1 5 W L 5 0 5 5 6 3

( U . S . F e b . 9 , 2 0 1 5 ) . I n h i s d i s s e n t . J u s t i c e C l a r e n c e T h o m a s s t a t e d :

" W h e n c o u r t s d e c l a r e d s ta te l a w s u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d e n j o i n s ta te o f f i c i a l s f r o m e n f o r c i n g t h e m , o u r o r d i n a r y p r a c t i c e i s t o s u s p e n d t h o s e i n j u n c t i o n s f r o m t a k i n g e f f e c t p e n d i n g a p p e l l a t e r e v i e w . S e e , e.g., Herbert v . Kitchen, 5 7 1 U . S . ( 2 0 1 4 ) .... A l t h o u g h a s t a y i s n o t a m a t t e r o f r i g h t , t h i s p r a c t i c e r e f l e c t s t h e p a r t i c u l a r l y s t r o n g s h o w i n g t h a t S t a t e s a r e o f t e n a b l e t o m a k e i n f a v o r o f s u c h a s t a y . B e c a u s e S t a t e s a r e r e q u i r e d t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , a n d i n d e e d t a k e c a r e t o d o s o w h e n t h e y e n a c t t h e i r l a w s , i t i s a r a r e case i n w h i c h a S t a t e w i l l b e u n a b l e t o m a k e a t l e a s t s o m e s h o w i n g o f a l i k e l i h o o d o f success o n t h e m e r i t s . "

Strange a t 1-2 ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d ) .

J u s t i c e T h o m a s w e n t o n t o s ta te : " T h i s a c q u i e s c e n c e m a y w e l l b e s e e n as a s i g n a l

o f t h e C o u r t ' s i n t e n d e d r e s o l u t i o n o f t h a t q u e s t i o n . " / t / a t 3 .

pg- 3

Page 4: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

8. T h e g r a n t o f c e r t i o r a r i i n DeBoer, et al, d i d n o t a l t e r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

S u p r e m e C o u r t ' s p o s i t i o n t h a t s t a y s a r e n o t n e c e s s a r y . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t ' s

p o s t - c e r t i o r a r i d e n i a l o f a s t a y i n Strange n e c e s s i t a t e s t h a t t h e s t a y i n t h e case a t b a r

s h o u l d b e i m m e d i a t e l y v a c a t e d .

9 . A p a r t y s e e k i n g t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y r e l i e f o f a s t a y m u s t s a t i s f y a f o u r - p r o n g

t es t , w h i c h r e q u i r e s , a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , a s t r o n g s h o w i n g t h a t t h e s t a y a p p l i c a n t i s

l i k e l y t o s u c c e e d o n t h e m e r i t s a n d a s h o w i n g t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t w i l l b e i r r e p a r a b l y

h a r m e d . See e.g.. City of Fort Smith v . Carter, 3 6 4 A r k . 1 0 0 , 1 0 7 , 2 1 6 S . W . 3 d

5 9 4 , 5 9 8 ( 2 0 0 5 ) ; Nken v. Holder, 5 5 6 U . S . 4 1 8 , 4 3 4 ( 2 0 0 9 ) . N o n e o f t h e

r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r a c o n t i n u i n g s t a y p e n d i n g a p p e a l a r e p r e s e n t i n t h i s case .

1 0 . T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S u p r e m e C o u r t , as s t a t e d a b o v e , h a s s t r o n g l y i n d i c a t e d

t h a t i t w i l l find l a w s a n d s t a te c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a m e n d m e n t s , s u c h as t h o s e o f t h e S t a t e

o f A r k a n s a s , t o b e i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t t o t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n

o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . T h e D e f e n d a n t s c a n m a k e n o s h o w i n g o f a n y l i k e l i h o o d o f

success o n t h e m e r i t s as r e q u i r e d b y City of Fort Smith a n d Nken .

1 1 . F u r t h e r , D e f e n d a n t s c a n n o t s h o w t h a t t h e o t h e r f a c t o r s f a v o r i n g a

c o n t i n u e d s t a y a r e s a t i s f i e d i n t h i s case . D e f e n d a n t s w o u l d s u f f e r n o h a r m

w h a t s o e v e r i f P l a i n t i f f s a n d o t h e r s a m e - s e x c o u p l e s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o m a r r y o r h a v e

t h e i r e x i s t i n g m a r r i a g e s r e c o g n i z e d w h i l e t h e a p p e a l p r o c e s s c o n t i n u e s . P l a i n t i f f s

P g - 4

Page 5: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n s u f f e r s e r i o u s i r r e p a r a b l e h a r m e a c h a n d e v e r y d a y t h a t t h i s s t a y

r e m a i n s i n e f f e c t . I n a d d i t i o n t o s u f f e r i n g f i n a n c i a l l o s s e s a n d d e m e a n i n g

t r e a t m e n t , t h e s e c u r i t y p r o v i d e d b y m a r r i a g e i n t h e e v e n t o f d e a t h , i l l n e s s ,

i n c a p a c i t y , e t c . i s d e n i e d t o P l a i n t i f f s i n , as t h e l o w e r C o u r t h a s f o u n d , v i o l a t i o n o f

t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s . T h e h a r m t o P l a i n t i f f s i s r e a l , i m m e d i a t e a n d s h o u l d n o t

c o n t i n u e .

1 2 . T h e o n l y " H a r m " a l l e g e d b y t h e S t a t e i n i t s M o t i o n f o r E m e r g e n c y

S t a y f i l e d i n t h i s c o u r t o n M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 w a s s ta te s o v e r e i g n t y a n d a n a l l e g e d

a d m i n i s t r a t i v e / f i n a n c i a l b u r d e n . D e n y i n g a s t a y d o e s r e q u i r e t h a t t h e s ta te i n v e s t

r e s o u r c e s i n i s s u i n g m a r r i a g e l i c e n s e s a n d a l l o c a t i n g t h e a t t e n d a n t b e n e f i t s o f

m a r r i a g e t o s a m e - s e x c o u p l e s .

1 3 . A n y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e b u r d e n s a r e o v e r s t a t e d : p r o c e d u r e s f o r i s s u i n g

l i c e n s e s a n d d i s t r i b u t i n g b e n e f i t s t o m a r r i e d c o u p l e s a r e a l r e a d y i n p l a c e ; t h e o n l y

r e a l d i f f e r e n c e i s t h a t m o r e p e o p l e w o u l d b e e l i g i b l e f o r t h e m . T h e i n c r e a s e d

v o l u m e w o u l d b e s m a l l .

1 4 . T h e E q u a l P r o t e c t i o n a n d D u e P r o c e s s C l a u s e s o f A r t i c l e 2 o f t h e

A r k a n s a s C o n s t i t u t i o n p r o v i d e f o r m o r e s t r i n g e n t p r o t e c t i o n o f t h o s e r i g h t s t h a n

d o e s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n . T h e e f f e c t o f a d e c i s i o n b y t h i s c o u r t i n

o v e r t u r n i n g t h e l o w e r c o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n w o u l d r e s u l t i n a j u d i c i a l r e d u c t i o n o f e q u a l

pg. 5

Page 6: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

p r o t e c t i o n a n d d u e p r o c e s s r i g h t s , n o n - r e c o g n i t i o n o f l e g a l m a r r i a g e s p e r f o r m e d i n

t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d t h e p e r m i t t e d c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e a n i m u s o f

t h e " m a j o r i t y " a g a i n s t a d e f e n s e l e s s m i n o r i t y .

1 5 . I n l i g h t o f t h i s C o u r t ' s o p i n i o n s i n Jegley v. Picado, 3 4 9 A r k . 6 0 0 , 8 0

S . W . 3 d 3 3 2 ( 2 0 0 2 ) a n d Arkansas Dep't of Human Services v . Cole, 2 0 1 1 A r k . 1 4 5 ,

3 8 0 S . W . 3 d 4 2 9 ( 2 0 1 1 ) t h i s s c e n a r i o i s v e r y u n l i k e l y .

1 6 . A s t h e H o n . C h r i s P i a z z a e l o q u e n t l y s t a t e d i n h i s M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 d e n i a l

o f D e f e n d a n t s - A p p e l l a n t s ' M o t i o n f o r a s t a y p e n d i n g a p p e a l :

" D e f e n d a n t s h a v e a s k e d t h a t t h i s C o u r t s t a y a n y r u l i n g a d v e r s e t o i t s p o s i t i o n . T h i s C o u r t , h o w e v e r , c a n n o t i n g o o d c o n s c i e n c e g r a n t s u c h a r e q u e s t . C o n s t i t u t i o n a l v i o l a t i o n s a r e r o u t i n e l y r e c o g n i z e d as t r i g g e r i n g i r r e p a r a b l e h a r m u n l e s s t h e y a r e p r o m p t l y r e m e d i e d . See, e.g., Elrod v. Burns, 4 2 7 U . S . 3 4 7 , 3 7 3 ( 1 9 7 6 ) ( l o s s o f c o n s t i t u t i o n a l " f r e e d o m s , f o r e v e n m i n i m a l p e r i o d s o f t i m e , u n q u e s t i o n a b l y c o n s t i t u t e s i r r e p a r a b l e i n j u r y " ) . U n d e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s p r e s e n t e d h e r e , g r a n t i n g a s t a y o f t h e P l a i n t i f f s ' r i g h t s i m p o s e s i r r e p a r a b l e h a r m .

T h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t h a t D e f e n d a n t s , t h a t S t a t e o r i t s c i t i z e n s w e r e h a r m e d b y t h e e n t r y o f t h e C o u r t ' s o r i g i n a l o r d e r o r t h a t t h e y w i l l b e h a r m e d b y t h e c l a r i f i c a t i o n s c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n t h e F i n a l O r d e r a n d R u l e 5 4 ( b ) c e r t i f i c a t i o n . H o w e v e r , t h e s a m e c a n n o t b e s a i d o f t h e P l a i n t i f f s a n d o t h e r s s a m e - s e x c o u p l e s w h o h a v e n o t b e e n a f f o r d e d t h e s a m e m e a s u r e o f h u m a n d i g n i t y , r e s p e c t a n d r e c o g n i t i o n b y t h i s s ta te as t h e i r s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d , o p p o s i t e - s e x c o u n t e r p a r t s . A s t a y w o u l d o p e r a t e t o f u r t h e r d a m a g e A r k a n s a s

pg- 6

Page 7: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

f a m i l i e s a n d d e p r i v e d t h e m o f e q u a l access t o t h e r i g h t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h m a r r i a g e s t a t u s i n t h i s s ta te . W e i g h i n g a l l f a c t o r s a p p l i c a b l e t o a n a l y z i n g w h e t h e r a s t a y s h o u l d b e g r a n t e d , D e f e n d a n t s ' M o t i o n f o r I m m e d i a t e S t a y i s D E N I E D . "

( " O r d e r D e n y i n g D e f e n d a n t s ' M o t i o n F o r I m m e d i a t e S t a y " p a g e s 1 - 2 ) .

CONCLUSION

F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , t h i s C o u r t s h o u l d se t a s i d e i t s S t a y e n t e r e d o n M a y

1 6 , 2 0 1 4 . A c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e s t a y o n l y p e r p e t u a t e s t h e o n g o i n g , a n d i r r e p a r a b l e

d i g n i t a r y , l e g a l , f i n a n c i a l a n d p r a c t i c a l h a r m s s u f f e r e d b y t h e P l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s

t h a t c a n n o t b e r e d r e s s e d b y m o n e y d a m a g e s o r s u b s e q u e n t c o u r t o r d e r i n c l u d i n g , b u t

c e r t a i n l y n o t l i m i t e d t o :

a. T h e r i g h t t o m a k e h e a l t h d e c i s i o n s f o r t h e o t h e r s p o u s e ;

b . T h e r i g h t t o s u p p o r t ;

c. T h e r i g h t t o e q u a l d i s t r i b u t i o n o f p r o p e r t y o b t a i n e d d u r i n g m a r r i a g e ;

d . T h e r i g h t t o c l a i m a n e l e c t i v e s h a r e o f a s p o u s e s es ta te ;

e. T h e r i g h t t o s h a r e i n e m p l o y m e n t b e n e f i t s ;

f . A l l r i g h t s o f b o t h p a r e n t s r e g a r d i n g c h i l d r e n b o m d u r i n g t h e

r e l a t i o n s h i p ; a n d

g . T h e r i g h t t o c l a i m a d e c e a s e d s p o u s e s b o d y

T h i s C o u r t s h o u l d n o t a l l o w a n y u n n e c e s s a r y c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e d e p r i v a t i o n o f

p g - 1

Page 8: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

P l a i n t i f f s ' c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s . T h e r u l i n g o f t h e H o n . C h r i s P i a z z a a n d h i s d e n i a l

o f a s t a y p e n d i n g a p p e a l w a s b a s e d u p o n a t h o u g h t f u l a n d c a r e f u l l y r e a s o n e d

a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e p r e c e d e n t s t h a t c o n t r o l t h i s case a n d i t i s l i k e l y t o b e a f f i r m e d o n

a p p e a l . T h e r e l e v a n t f a c t o r s a r e o v e r w h e l m i n g l y t i l t e d i n f a v o r o f l i f t i n g t h e s t a y .

P l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s t h e r e f o r e r e s p e c t f u l l y a s k t h i s C o u r t t o e x e r c i s e i t s d i s c r e t i o n

a n d l i f t t h e c u r r e n t s t a y .

R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,

for Appellees

C h e r y l fc^a^les A B A # 8 7 1 0 9 P . O . B o x 1 5 0 4 S e a r c y , A R 7 2 1 4 5 ( 5 0 1 ) 9 1 2 - 3 8 9 0 F a x : ( 5 0 1 ) 3 6 2 - 2 1 2 8 E m a i l : c k m a p l e s @ a o l . c o m

C E R T I F I C A T E OF S E R V I C E

T h e u n d e r s i g n e d c o u n s e l h e r e b y s ta tes t h a t a t r u e a n d c o r r e c t c o p y o f t h e f o r e g o i n g

d o c u m e n t w a s s e r v e d u p o n t h e f o l l o w i n g c o u n s e l v i a e m a i l o n F e b r u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 1 5 :

C o l i n R . J o r g e n s e n , # 2 0 0 4 0 7 8 A s s i s t a n t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l E m a i l : c o l i n . i o r g e n s e n @ a r k a n s a s a g . g o v Attorney for State Defendants-Appellants

p g - 8

Page 9: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

M i c h a e l R . R a i n w a t e r , # 7 9 2 3 4 J a s o n E . O w e n s , # 2 0 0 3 0 0 3 R A I N W A T E R , H O L T & S E X T O N , P . A . E m a i l : o w e n s @ r a i n f i r m . c o m Attorneys for Defendants Cheryl Evans, in her official capacity as White County Clerk, William "Larry " Clarke, in his official capacity as Lonoke County Clerk, Debbie Hartman, in her official capacity as Conway County Clerk, and Becky Lewallen, in her official capacity as Washington County Clerk.

D a v i d M a c k F u g u a , # 8 0 0 4 8 F u g u a & C a m p b e l l , P . A . E m a i l : d f u q u a @ f c - l a w y e r s . c o m Attorney for Separate Defendants Doug Curtis in his official capacity as Saline County Clerk and Larry Crane, in his official capacity as Pulaski County Clerk

p g . 9

Page 10: CV-14-427...Feb 17, 2015  · CV-14-427 IN THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT M. KENDALL WRIGHT, et al PLAINTIFFS-APPELLEES VS. Case No. CV-14-427 ... In January 2015 the United States Supreme

C E R T I F I C A T E OF COMPLIANCE

I h e r e b y c e r t i f y t h a t I h a v e s e r v e d o n o p p o s i n g c o u n s e l a n d u n r e d a c t e d a n d , i f r e q u i r e d , a r e d a c t e d P D F d o c u m e n t t h a t c o m p l i e s w i t h t h e R u l e s o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t a n d t h e C o u r t o f A p p e a l s . T h e P D F d o c u m e n t s a r e i d e n t i c a l t o t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g p a r t s o f t h e p a p e r d o c u m e n t s f r o m w h i c h t h e y w e r e c r e a t e d as f i l e d w i t h t h e c o u r t . T o t h e bes t o f m y k n o w l e d g e , i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d b e l i e f f o r m e d a f t e r s c a n n i n g t h e P D F d o c u m e n t s f o r v i r u s e s w i t h a n a n t i v i r u s p r o g r a m , t h e P D F d o c u m e n t s a r e f r e e o f c o m p u t e r v i r u s e s . A c o p y o f t h i s c e r t i f i c a t e h a s b e e n s u b m i t t e d w i t h t h e p a p e r c o p i e s f i l e d w i t h t h e c o u r t a n d h a s b e e n s e r v e d o n a l l o p p o s i n g p a r t i e s . / / \/ 11 A

m

pg . 1 0