Judge Overturns Pennsylvania Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
A federal judge overturned a ban on same-sex marriage in the state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday. According to Fox News, "In his decision, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III called the plaintiffs — a widow, 11 couples and two teenage daughters to one of the couples — courageous."
Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case argued that the law unfairly inflicts harm on same-sex couples as well as their children by denying them the legal privileges and tax benefits provided to married couples.
The lawsuit was filed on July 9, standing as the first known challenge to the state’s law, though more have since been started. Fox News reports, “At least five later challenges have surfaced in state and federal courts since the lawsuit was filed, including one in which a country official is defending his decision to issue 174 marriage licenses to same-sex couples.”...
