Early reports from New Jersey today are that the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled today that it is unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the protections of marriage. The court stopped short, however, of the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision which allowed same-sex couples to marry. Instead the court took a similar position to the Vermont Supreme Court in a marriage case decided several years ago. The New Jersey court directed the state legislature to remedy the discrimination with in six months.

Said Freedom to Marry's Evan Wolfson in response to the decision,"Today's unanimous NJ Supreme Court ruling is a recognition of the equal needs and common humanity of committed same-sex couples and their kids. The Court said these American families are entitled to equal rights and responsibilities under the law. As the legislature moves now to implement the constitution's command of equality, we are confident that legislators will see that the right way to end discrimination in marriage is, indeed, to end discrimination in marriage, not repackage it. The easiest next step is not to cobble together a separate new system with two lines at the clerks' office, but rather, to end the exclusion from marriage itself with two simple words, 'I do.'"

More to come following Lambda Legal's press conference in response to the ruling, scheduled for 5 PM EST.

To read the Court's opinion, click here.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at 12:20 PM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.