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.