We The People

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court shocked the state when it ruled that homosexuals had the right to marry under the Iowa Constitution. As outraged Iowans sought to overturn the court's decision, serious questions were raised, including: Does the court's order have the force of law? Do state and local officials have to obey a court decision which had no basis in the constitution? Can the court's decision be stopped by a governor's executive order? If the legislature refuses to pass a marriage amendment, should a constitutional convention be called? Nathan Tucker, a Davenport, Iowa, attorney, seeks to answer these questions in a series of columns he wrote in the aftermath of the court's decision.