Third Florida judge overturns ban on same-sex marriage

Today, Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen struck down Florida’s marriage ban, affirming that the denial of marriage equality to same-sex couples in Florida is unconstitutional.  The judge’s ruling applies to recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages, as well as overturning Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage – Broward County only. This marks the third time in the…

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Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist files legal brief in support of marriage equality

Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist has filed an amicus brief today in support of the marriage equality lawsuit Pareto v. Ruvin, which is set for a hearing July 2 before Judge Sarah Zabel in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami. Judge Zabel will hear from attorneys who filed a lawsuit in January on behalf of…

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Historic twin rulings for marriage equality in Utah and Indiana

In a historic day, a federal judge in Indiana struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, followed almost immediately by the first appellate level win since last year’s Windsor decision as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that struck down Utah’s ban late last year. “I remember like it…

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U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on Supreme Court to rule in favor of the freedom to marry nationwide

NEW YORK – At its annual meeting today in Dallas, the U.S. Conference of Mayors overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on federal courts, including the Supreme Court, to expeditiously bring an end to marriage discrimination against gay couples nationwide. Mayors from states that still ban marriage for same-sex couples, including Arizona, Texas, Ohio, Colorado, Missouri,…

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Luxembourg passes marriage equality legislation

The government of Luxembourg has passed legislation that will make it the 19th nation to grant full marriage rights to all of its citizens. Luxembourg’s national parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, approved the bill by a vote of 56 to 4.  In addition to granting full marriage rights to Luxembourg’s LGBT citizens–previously only civil unions…

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N.C. church leaders and clergy deliver nearly 30,000 signed petitions against state’s discriminatory marriage laws

RALEIGH, N.C. — On what is being termed “Marriage Monday,” North Carolina church leaders and clergy delivered two petitions to the office of State Attorney General Roy Cooper that call on him to cease defending Amendment One and the state’s other discriminatory state marriage laws. The United Church of Christ and other faith groups argue that the State’s marriage…

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My two dads: does gender matter when raising children?

The question of children’s welfare has been at the center of the legal and political debates over same-sex marriage for the last couple of decades. According to the 2010 Census – the first to provide same-sex couples that live together the option to report themselves as married partners – 48 percent of LGBT women and 20 percent…

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North Dakota makes 31: Every state with a marriage ban now has a court challenge

Today seven same-sex couples in North Dakota filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the state’s constitutional amendment banning marriage equality.  Before today, North Dakota was the last remaining state with a marriage ban and no court case challenging it. The case was filed by Minneapolis attorney Josh Newville, who recently filed a similar case…

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