Curiosity
michigan gay marriage ban will go to trial judge rules
michigan gay marriage ban will go to trial judge rules
Detroit, Michigan – April DeBoer and her partner Jayne Rowse share everything in life. It is their desire to legally adopt each other’s children so as to add legal force to their relationship. However, DeBoer and Rowse may end up opening the flood gates to couples wanting same sex marriage in their home state of Michigan.
This is because U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman has ruled that their case may proceed to trial staring in April 2014. The trial will test the constitutionality of the state’s gay marriage ban which passed by a landslide during the reelection of George W. Bush back in 2004.
“There’s always some sentiment that justice delayed is justice denied, but they (the couple) understand that this is a very long process and now it’s just going to be a little bit longer than we had initially anticipated,” said Dana Nessel, an attorney for the couple. “They said all along that they’ll do anything that they have to, to protect their children, and if what they have to do is go to trial on this matter then that’s a small price to pay for them in order to secure legal rights to their children.”
While the ruling will allow DeBoer and Rowse to have their day in court, same-sex marriage advocates were hoping that Judge Friedman would summarily rule the state’s prohibition on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional and allow gay marriages to proceed immmeiately. Instead, Judge Friedman will not weigh into the controversial subject through any activist effort on his part. Rather, he will allow both sides to present their arguments and then make a ruling.
The state’s attorney general, a Republican, had preempted a possible pro-gay marriage ruling by informing county clerks that no gay marriages were to be performed until the appeals process has been exhausted indicating that he too anticipated the court would overturn the law.
On The Web:
Michigan same sex marriage case delayed, frustrating gay activists
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/16/us-usa-gaymarriage-michigan-idUSBRE99F0DV20131016
Michigan’s gay marriage ban faces court challenge Wednesday
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/16/michigan-gay-marriage-ban-faces-court-challenge-wednesday/
Federal judge: Michigan gay marriage ban will go to trial
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/16/20993216-federal-judge-michigan-gay-marriage-ban-will-go-to-trial