Chief Justice's cousin stunned, excited about same-sex rulings

(CNN) - California resident Jean Podrasky, first cousin of Chief Justice John Roberts, tells Anderson Cooper that she’s disappointed by the chief justice’s dissent on the DOMA ruling, but is thrilled that his majority opinion in the Proposition 8 case will allow her and her partner, Grace Fasano, to be married.

“I’m so overwhelmed. I’m so excited,” Podrasky said on AC360. “I have told everybody that I was expecting this but it’s still a shock. I’m so excited.”

Roberts’ majority opinion in the Prop 8 case, dismissing it on procedural grounds, will allow his cousin and millions of other gay and lesbian California residents to get married. Although he signed on with the minority view to uphold DOMA, Podrasky considers Roberts’ split rulings on the Supreme Court’s two cases dealing with same-sex marriage a win.

“I have to say I am disappointed. I was completely stunned by the split rulings but I’m sure this is just in keeping with his conservative beliefs. So I want to take this still as a win,” Podrasky said. “We did win on both, he did rule in our favor on Prop 8. I am still very, very excited.”

In March, Podrasky attended the Supreme Court’s oral arguments on the two cases dealing with same-sex marriage, and at the time she found his comments “worrisome.”

“To hear specifically Chief Justice Roberts, my cousin John, to hear him was a little worrisome. You didn’t know whether he was going in a good direction or a bad direction on purpose. So I left the hearings feeling a little worried,” she said.

Speaking from San Francisco with Fasano by her side, Podrasky was hopeful Roberts could change his position on same-sex marriage.

“Even John has used the term sea change several times, and I do believe that the next time this comes before the court – it’ll be two years, four years – I hope he grows to accept the sea change that he has talked about himself,” she said.

AC360° Producer Jack Gray contributed to this report