California Urged to Allow Gay Marriage

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Several legal advocacy groups filed a joint brief Monday urging the California Supreme Court to strike down as unconstitutional a law that bars same-sex couples from marrying in the state.

Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union, filed the brief on behalf of 15 same-sex couples and California LGBT rights group Equality California, arguing that same-sex couples cannot be barred from marrying without the state violating laws prohibiting discrimination and the fundamental right to marry.

"More same-sex couples live in California than in any other state," said Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

"Barring these committed couples from marriage is harmful and unfair. A person's sexual orientation is irrelevant to their ability to forge enduring human bonds and to create a family. Marriage is a cherished legal protection, and it should be equally available to all."

"We are hopeful that the California Supreme Court will recognize that same-sex couples form committed relationships just like straight couples and shouldn't be barred from the dignity and universal recognition that comes with marriage," said Alex Cleghorn, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Northern California.

"While domestic partnerships provide families with some legal protections, the marriage ban is a painful reminder that same-sex relationships are considered unworthy of marriage."