Delay Sought on NC Same-Sex Marriage Lawsuit

North Carolina's attorney general is asking a judge to delay the most recent lawsuit over the state's same-sex marriage ban, saying an order expected later this year in another case likely will resolve the situation.

The Charlotte Observer reported (http://bit.ly/1eQwX7n) that Attorney General Roy Cooper last week asked that the courts delay a lawsuit by the ACLU and other groups. That lawsuit says three same-sex couples need a quick decision on the marriage ban because of health concerns.

Cooper says the new case should be delayed because a hearing is scheduled in May before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on whether Virginia's marriage ban is unconstitutional.

Legal experts say the ruling likely will apply to other states in the 4th Circuit, including North Carolina.