New York Times | Speculation on Gay Marriage Ruling Swirls in New Jersey

Will the New Jersey Supreme Court issue its same-sex marriage decision this week?

Maybe not.

This in-depth article from tomorrow’s New York Times states that although Chief Justice Deborah Poritz retires on Thursday, the case doesn’t have to be announced by then. A retired justice can apparently vote and write opinions in cases that he or she took part in hearing. The decision could be announced after Election Day – perhaps way after Election Day. Apparently a recent decision in another case was issued 20 months after oral arguments. (It’s been only eight months since oral arguments in Lewis, the marriage case.)

Also from the article: “the small circle of obsessive court-watchers here are stuck staring at the Supreme Court’s Web site, www.judiciary.state.nj.us/supreme/index.htm, where a list of decisions to be issued the next day is posted each weekday at 10 a.m.”