Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Federal Judge Rules Mississippi Marriage Ban Unconstitutional


In a late breaking story, U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves has ruled that Mississippi's gay marriage ban is unconstitutional.  This is the 56th court ruling striking down a state same sex marriage ban to be unconstitutional under the United States Constitution.  Freedom to Marry has details.  Here are highlights:
The latest in a landmark string of court victories for the freedom to marry came today, November 25, from Mississippi, where a federal judge has ruled the state's constitutional amendment denying the freedom to marry to same-sex couples unconstitutional. The ruling is stayed for 14 days pending appeal.

U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves ruled today in Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant, a federal legal case challenging Missisippi's anti-marriage amendment. The judge struck down the marriage ban, the 56th court ruling since June 2013 in favor of the freedom to marry. Just four courts - most notably, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit - upheld marriage discrimination. Plaintiffs from the 6th Circuit cases, out of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, are now seeking review from that out-of-step ruling from the United States Supreme Court. The plaintiffs in a case out of Louisiana, where a federal judge upheld marriage discirmination in September, are also seeking Supreme Court review.

In total, 56 decisions have been issued in favor of the freedom to marry in state and federal court since June 2013, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the core of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in Windsor v. United States. Thirty-two rulings have been issued in federal court, fifteen have been issued in state court, and five have been issued by a federal appellate court.

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