California Supreme Court overturns same-sex marriage ban

New American, The, June 9, 2008

On May 15, in a 4-3 ruling, the California Supreme Court struck down two state laws limiting marriage to unions between a man and a woman, claiming that the state constitution protects a fundamental "right to marry" extending to same-sex couples. The laws struck down included one enacted in 1977 and a statewide initiative approved by Californians in 2000, both limiting marriage to unions between a man and a woman. The ruling makes California the second state, after Massachusetts, to allow same-sex marriages.

The decision was denounced by pro-family groups, which promised to support an initiative proposed for the November ballot that would amend the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages and overturn the decision.

Three of the four justices who issued the majority ruling were appointed by Republican governors.