District court rules in favour of marriage equality within Idaho and other states.
On May 13th, a Federal District court in Boise, Idaho issued a decision striking down Idaho’s marriage equality ban. They ordered the state to allow same-sex couples to marry and to recognize the marriages of couples who married in other states. The court’s order took effect on May 16th at 9 AM Mountain Time. The case was brought by four same-sex couples represented by Boise attorneys Deborah A. Ferguson and Craig Durham, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).
The couples argued that Idaho’s ban on marriage equality cannot stand in light of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling last June, indicating that the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” violates the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.
The decision marks the 11th federal court, since last summer’s Supreme Court decision to rule in favour of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples; including federal courts in Utah, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The couples are Susan Latta and Traci Ehlers, and Lori and Sharene Watsen, who are legally married and asked Idaho to recognize their marriages; and Shelia Robertson and Andrea Altmayer, and Amber Beierle and Rachael Robertson, who seek to marry.
The decision made is a victory for everyone who believes in fairness and justice, and a huge milestone in the movement for LGBT equality.
NCLR is a non-profit, public interest law firm that is committed to advancing the civil and human rights of LGBT people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education. They offer free legal assistance which empowers individuals to assert their own legal rights. They service more than 5,000 LGBT people and their families throughout the U.S each year, including LGBT seniors, parents, immigrants, athletes, and youth.
More Info: http://www.nclrights.org/