Missouri becomes the next state to celebrate marriage equality.
On November 7, 2014, Missouri Judge Ortrie D. Smith ruled in favour of marriage equality, stating the ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Missouri is the most recent state to offer legal marriage status to all of its citizens, and the wave of marriage equality victory continues throughout the country.
Today’s ruling marks the first federal court ruling striking down the marriage ban within the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. “Today’s victory in Missouri marks the third consecutive win in the ‘Show Me state in just over a month, with all three judges affirming that marriage discrimination is unconstitutional.
We encourage Attorney General Chris Koster not to appeal the ruling so that Missouri becomes the next state where loving and committed couples can share in the joy and dignity of marriage. Today’s ruling adds to the powerful momentum of victories from a bipartisan array of federal and state judges as we work to secure the freedom to marry nationwide,” said Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry and Kansas City native.
The support for marriage equality has swept the nation within the last month due to the Supreme Court allowing the pro-marriage equality rulings from the Fourth, Seventh and Tenth Circuits to stand, which immediately made a marriage for same-sex couples possible in five new states—and many more following soon after. Although the victories are substantial, yesterdays ruling from the 6th district court to uphold the marriage ban in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky only reaffirmed that the fight for marriage equality is not over until our entire nation is given the same rights under the law.
For the latest updates on marriage equality, go to: http://www.hrc.org/campaigns/marriage-center.
