Nebraska Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules

The ruling goes into effect on March 9. Nebraska officials have filed notice that they will be appealing the decision.










WASHINGTON — A federal judge struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex couples' marriages on Monday — although the injunction requiring marriage equality does not go into effect until March 9.

"The State clearly has the right to encourage couples to marry and provide support for one another. However, those laws must be enforced equally and without respect to gender," U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon wrote. "It is time to bring this unequal provision to an end."

State officials already filed a notice with Bataillon's court that they will be appealing the decision and "will be pursuing emergency relief in the Court of Appeals" — presumably a request that Bataillon's injunction be stayed pending the outcome of the state's appeal or of the pending appeals already before the appeals court.




















Read the injunction:








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