SJC Ruling Imminent

Published Dec 27 2006, 02:42 PM by David S. Bernstein

The Supreme Judicial Court will issue its ruling on the Doyle case at 10:00 this morning, I'm told. This is the one in which Mitt Romney is asking the court to force the legislature to vote on the marriage initiative.

I'm no legal scholar, but I would be surprised if the court found that the plaintiffs have any recourse, regardless of the judges' interpretation of the statute.

In any event, my prediction is that this is all moot. From conversations I've had since the ConCon recessed on November 9, my sense is that Trav fully intends to hold a vote when the ConCon reconvenes next week.

Although, maybe all this name-calling and lawsuit-filing will cheese him off enough that he changes his mind and buries it just for spite.

Nevertheless, my predictions are no intervention by the SJC, but a floor vote next week anyway.

Update: Well, it appears I'm right on the first part. The SJC has ruled that it has no power to force the legislature to act.