South Carolina attorney general ordered to pay $135,276 in fees for marriage equality loss

SC AG Alan Wilson

Let's see anti-gay groups attempt to make something out of this one. That is if they can get away from their futile "ban Planned Parenthood" crusade.

From The Post and Courier in Charleston:

State Attorney General Alan Wilson must pay $135,276 in legal fees and costs to lawyers whose federal lawsuit forced open the doors to same-sex marriages in South Carolina, a judge ruled Monday. 

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel cited the attorneys’ overwhelming legal victories against Wilson and “reasonable and necessary” request for payment in granting 89 percent of what they sought.

“This complete litigation victory has benefitted themselves and thousands of other same-sex couples in South Carolina,” Gergel wrote in his ruling. “Plaintiffs’ success in this litigation weighs heavily in favor of a reasonable attorney fee award.” 

The money must be paid by Wilson in his official capacity, Gergel ordered, and will come from state coffers. It will go to the gay rights advocacy groups South Carolina Equality and Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. 

Of the seven attorneys involved, four work full time for Lambda. The other three are in private practice and worked voluntarily for S.C. Equality. They will donate their fees to that nonprofit, said M. Malissa Burnette, a Columbia attorney who is among them. 

Wilson's office has yet to say whether or not it will attempt to appeal Gergel's order. If it does, one can probably guess that a certain attorney general will be running for Governor after Nikki Haley leaves office and will also be using this situation to demonstrate how he supposedly stands up for "South Carolina values."