US | gays Calif. Judge: Gay Marriage Decision My Toughest Conservative cast vote for 'doing the right thing' By Kate Rockwood Posted May 18, 2008 12:05 PM CDT Copied California Supreme Court Justices from top left: Kathryn Mickle Werdegar, Carlos R. Moreno, Joyce L. Kennard, Marvin Baxter; from lower left: Ming Chin, Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Carol Corrigan. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) Long characterized as cautious, California’s Chief Justice Ronald George shocked his peers when he joined the majority to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. “I think there are times when doing the right thing means not playing it safe,” the moderate Republican said, calling the case the most difficult one of his 17 years on the court. George likened same-sex restrictions to earlier bans on interracial marriage, recounting to the Los Angeles Times a childhood trip to the South in which he saw “No Negro” and “No colored” signs. "When is it that a court should act?" he asked. "When is it that a court is shirking its responsibility by not acting, and when is a court overreaching? That's a real conundrum." Read These Next Here's where things stand in the House ahead of shutdown vote. DNA break leads to arrest in 1994 Seattle cold case. Trump is responding to MTG's increasing criticism of GOP. In GOP senators vs. Jack Smith, a new measure favors the senators. Report an error