Gay couple speaks at Lambda Legal news conference after Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage (WHO)
Same-sex couples across the state of Iowa will be free to marry. The Iowa Supreme Court handed down its decision on legalizing same-sex marriages Friday morning, upholding a lower court's decision that prohibiting same-sex marriages is unconstitutional.
The court's decision was unanimous in determining a statute limiting civil marriage to between a man and a woman, violated the state constitution's equal protection clause.
The case began in December of 2005, with a lawsuit filed by six same-sex Iowa couples challenging the state's marriage laws. On August 30th of 2007, Judge Robert Hansen issued a ruling that Polk County couldn't deny a same-sex couple a marriage license, essentially making gay marriage legal.
The next morning, dozens of couples rushed into courthouses to apply for marriage licenses, but hours later, Judge Hansen issued a stay stopping gay and lesbian couples from getting married.
One couple was still able to tie the knot. Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan were married at 10:30 a.m. on August 31st. They remain the only legally married same sex couple in Iowa.
The court's ruling doesn't take effect for 21 days, so same-sex couples will have to wait to get marriage licenses issued. A request for a rehearing on the decision can be made during that time.
Iowa now becomes the third state in the nation to allow the marriages. Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only others offering licenses to same-sex couples.
Massachusetts became the first in May of 2004. Connecticut followed in November of 2008.
At least eight other states are debating the idea at legislative levels.
The court's decision was unanimous in determining a statute limiting civil marriage to between a man and a woman, violated the state constitution's equal protection clause.
The case began in December of 2005, with a lawsuit filed by six same-sex Iowa couples challenging the state's marriage laws. On August 30th of 2007, Judge Robert Hansen issued a ruling that Polk County couldn't deny a same-sex couple a marriage license, essentially making gay marriage legal.
The next morning, dozens of couples rushed into courthouses to apply for marriage licenses, but hours later, Judge Hansen issued a stay stopping gay and lesbian couples from getting married.
One couple was still able to tie the knot. Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan were married at 10:30 a.m. on August 31st. They remain the only legally married same sex couple in Iowa.
The court's ruling doesn't take effect for 21 days, so same-sex couples will have to wait to get marriage licenses issued. A request for a rehearing on the decision can be made during that time.
Iowa now becomes the third state in the nation to allow the marriages. Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only others offering licenses to same-sex couples.
Massachusetts became the first in May of 2004. Connecticut followed in November of 2008.
At least eight other states are debating the idea at legislative levels.
