Virginia judge strikes down gay marriage ban

A federal judge in Virginia has struck down the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage, joining a growing list of state and federal courts that have granted gay and lesbian couples the right to marry following two landmark Supreme Court rulings in June.

District Court Judge Arenda Wright Allen's ruling had been expected since the case was heard in her Norfolk courtroom Feb. 4. Also as expected, she blocked it from taking immediate effect until appeals are heard, meaning gay marriages in Virginia cannot begin yet.