Good news! O excellent, splendid news! A King County Superior Court judge has ruled that Washington's (state) Defence of Marriage Act violates the state constitution.
Washington state's Defense of Marriage Act, which limits marriage to one man and one woman, violates the state Constitution, King County Superior Court Judge William Downing ruled today. Citing the rationale of state Supreme Courts in Massachusetts and Vermont, Downing wrote, "The Court concludes that the exclusion of same-sex partners from civil marriage and the privileges attendant thereto is not rationally related to any legitimate or compelling state interest and is certainly not narrowly tailored toward such an interest."The suit was filed by Lambda Legal and the Northwest Women's Law Center on behalf of eight same-sex couples denied marriage licenses in King County. The case was the first of its kind to be filed in Washington since Massachusett's high court ruled in favor of same-sex couples marriage, and its outcome will have legal and political impact beyond this state.
Gay couples have been able to wed in Massachusetts since May.
The Washington suit contends that this state's law, passed by the Legislature in 1998, violates the state and federal constitutions' guarantees of equality for all citizens.
Another article here.
SEATTLE -- A King County Superior Court judge in Seattle ruled Wednesday that gay couples can marry, saying that denying their right to do so would be a violation of their constitutional rights."The denial to the plaintiffs of the right to marry constitutes a denial of substantive due process," Judge William L. Downing said in his ruling.
The decision is stayed until the state Supreme Court reviews the case, said Jennifer Pizer, lead counsel for Lambda Legal Defense in the case. The stay means no marriage licenses can be issued until the high court's decision.
"That's totally standard. If it turns out the appellate court disagrees, there would be that much more confusion and difficulty," Pizer said.
"Really the main point is that Judge Downing saw the couples in the court room and he's recognized that they are full and equal citizens of Washington. No more and no less."
Hot off the presses!
Posted by aloysius at August 04, 2004 10:15 AM | TrackBack |