News you can use
News you can use
HELENA (AP) — Four gay couples are suing Montana over its constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
That leaves North Dakota and South Dakota as the only two states with gay marriage bans and no lawsuits seeking to overturn them.
The Montana lawsuit was being filed Wednesday in federal court in Great Falls, with help from the Montana ACLU. It lists as plaintiffs four Montana couples who are either unmarried or were married outside the state.
The lawsuit alleges the ban denies same-sex couples the freedom and dignity afforded to other Montanans, and denies them the state and federal legal protections and benefits that come with marriage.
State marriage bans have been falling around the country since the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Reader Comments(7)
Despoticpeon writes:
I've always understood the purpose of a constitution to be twofold: define the structure of government and to spell out the rights, and freedoms of citizens under that government. Voters twisted our state's constitution to deny freedoms and equal protections when they passed that marriage ban and it's time we restored the integrity of the document. Granting majority vote the right to define minority rights absolutely is absurd and one of the prime reasons judicial review is necessary.
06/20/2014, 10:06 am
rightthewrong writes:
Hey Kev, if you don't like our constitution then move to another country...see ya!
05/22/2014, 10:25 am
Freedom writes:
I support gay marriage. If 2 people are in love, them so be it. Nobody has the right to say otherwise.
05/22/2014, 2:16 am
MontanaLady writes:
Good for these 4 brave couples! If you don't like same sex marriage, then don't get one!
05/21/2014, 9:04 pm
Finally writes:
Woohoo! Finally Montana is getting things figured out and not agreeing with every single thing a Republican stands for. So glad people are not being discriminated against based on who they love anymore. Looking forward to the day same sex couples are afforded the same rights and benefits heterosexual couples receive. Same Love!!!
05/21/2014, 8:07 pm
Willy writes:
Kev, why do you care? If two people are in love they should be able to get married more power to them!! To many people worry about others when they shuld be worried about themseleves.
05/21/2014, 1:46 pm
kev writes:
Disgusting, if you dont like our laws then go to another state! Bye Bye
05/21/2014, 12:16 pm