Washington: A judge has ruled Oklahoma’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. On Tuesday, U.S. Senior District Judge Terence Kern made the ruling, which is stayed pending appeal. Marriages will not occur immediately in Oklahoma.
The president of Human Rights Campaign, Chad Griffin released the statement. The statement stated that Judge Kern has come to the come to the conclusion that so many have before him that the fundamental equality of lesbian and gay is guaranteed by the United States Constitution. With last year’s historic victories at the Supreme Court guiding the way, it is clear that we are on a path to full and equal citizenship for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. Equality is not just the coasts anymore, and today’s news from Oklahoma shows that time has come for fairness and dignity to reach every American in all 50 states.
U.S. District Judge Terrence Kern handed down the ruling in a lawsuit filed by two same-sex couples. Kern immediately stayed his ruling pending appeals, meaning gay marriages won’t happen in Oklahoma right away.
The gay couples had sued for the right to marry and to have a marriage from another jurisdiction recognized in Oklahoma.
Kern ruled on a constitutional amendment approved by Oklahoma voters in 2004 that says marriage in the state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. He said the measure violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause by precluding same-sex couples from receiving an Oklahoma marriage license.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s office did not immediately have a comment on the ruling.
Bureau Report
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