The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the state's constitution gives gay and lesbian couples all the rights of married heterosexual couples, but it left it to the state legislature to decide what to call the relationship.
It gave the legislature six months to enact a law giving gay and lesbian couples relationship rights that are equal with the rights heterosexual couples are granted through marriage.
The case was closely watched because New Jersey is one of only five states that has no law barring same-sex marriages.
The New Jersey case is troublesome to opponents of gay marriage because the state has no law forbidding gay couples from outside the state to come there and marry.
On Nov. 7, voters in eight states will decide whether to amend their constitutions to ban gays from marrying. Court challenges in four states seek the right to marry.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Poritz retires Thursday so this was the last decision of her 10-year career.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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1 comment:
A few points...
1) I have no problem with gay marriage. I want everyone to be happy so long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process. And I can't see how anyone else is affected by two gay people getting married.
2) Gay marriage will get trounced on the ballot (2 to 1 or worse) in every state.
3) Interesting that this judge waited until her last decision to make this ruling.
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