Title
Ca Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage
Link
cbs5.com - California Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage
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Excerpt
California Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ― The California Supreme Court issued a long-awaited decision Thursday that legalized same-sex marriage in the state.
The high court announced the opinion on its Web site in the morning.
Gay-rights organizations like Equality California called it a historical decision by the court.
The court ruled the state's one man-one woman marriage laws violate the civil rights of same-sex couples.
Justices ruled in favor of gay and lesbian couples, the city of San Francisco and two gay rights advocacy groups who filed suits that were consolidated.
With Thursday's ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, California becomes the second state after Massachusetts where gays and lesbians can legally wed.
The court's seven justices had appeared closely divided on the issue during the three-hour hearing on March 4.
The legal proceedings were set in motion after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex couples in early 2004. The licenses were later ruled invalid by a judge.
Same-sex marriage supporters had argued that a right to same-sex marriage is provided by the state constitutional guarantees of equal protection, privacy and a fundamental right to marry.
State attorneys defending California laws had claimed that opposite-sex marriage was deeply rooted in tradition and the state's domestic partnership system provided nearly equal rights -- an argument a majority of the court rejected.
Meanwhile, a voter initiative that would make opposite-sex marriage part of the California Constitution, rather than a law, may be on the statewide ballot in November.
A constitutional amendment measure providing that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California has been submitted, but is in the process of having signatures verified, according to the office of Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
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Comment:
Fantastic!!!
Congratulations, all!!
