In a 2-1 ruling issued today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down California's Proposition 8, which banned same sex marriage in the state in November 2008. The court did not establish a generalized right to same-sex marriage, but did state that Prop 8 violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, by singling out one minority group and revoking its right to marry, when marriage had previously been open to all.
The ruling states: "For now, it suffices to conclude that the people of California may not, consistent with the federal Constitution, add to their state constitution a provision that has no more practical effect than to strip gays and lesbians of their right to use the official designation that the state and society give to committed relationships, thereby adversely affecting the status and dignity of the members of a disfavored class."
SCOTUS Blog has a longer recap of the ruling.
Read the Ninth Circuit's Ruling.
Posted by Samantha Meinke.
