Saturday, May 10, 2008

Activist NY Judges Recognize Same-sex Marriage

Homosexual couples who marry legally in other states or other countries are now considered legally married in New York

-- From "New York’s highest court validates lesbian couple’s Canadian marriage" on EmpireStateNews.net 5/7/08

ALBANY - New York’s highest court Tuesday handed down a victory for many gay and lesbian couples throughout the state by letting stand an appellate court’s groundbreaking ruling that recognized same-sex couples’ valid out-of-state marriages.

“Today is a great day for fairness in New York State,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “This is a victory for families, and it’s a victory for human rights. Congratulations to all gay and lesbian couples validly married outside of New York State. Now we need to work toward a New York where you don’t have to cross state or country lines to get married.”

. . . In February of this year, an appellate court unanimously affirmed the couple’s marriage – the first appellate court decision in the state and the first known decision in the country to hold that a valid same-sex marriage must be recognized. Monroe County then requested that the state’s highest court review and overrule the Fourth Department’s decision.

With the highest court letting the earlier ruling stand, the appellate court’s decision continues to remain the statewide law in New York with respect to recognition of gay and lesbian couples’ valid out-of-state marriages.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.