Court Orders State Of Missouri To Recognize Same-Sex Marriages

A Kansas City judge ruled Friday that the state of Missouri had to recognize marriages of same-sex couples that were legally married in other states.

The decision came eight days after hearing arguments in a case involving 10 same-sex couples, including five from St. Louis, who had valid marriage licenses from other states. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge J. Dale Youngs determined that not recognizing same-sex marriages that are legally performed in other states is a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment guaranteeing equal protection under the law.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of the 10 couples. In a press release, Jeffrey A. Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri said, “This is a personal win for our 10 courageous couples who stepped up to represent the LGBT community. Even better — this is a win for the whole state because a discriminatory law has been struck down.”

Mittman also told St. Louis Public Radio that the ruling means complete equality for all same-sex couples who live in Missouri.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/court-orders-state-missouri-recognize-same-sex-marriages