New Mexico legalizes same-sex marriage [View all]
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Source: AP
New Mexico became the latest state to legalize gay marriage Thursday as its highest court declared it is unconstitutional to deny marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
Justice Edward L. Chavez said in a ruling that none of New Mexico's marriage statutes specifically prohibits same-sex marriages, but the state's laws as a whole have prevented gay and lesbian couples from marrying.
Same-sex couples have been subjected to a history of discrimination and violence, the justices said. Barring them from getting married violates the state constitution's equal protection clause.
"We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law," Chavez wrote.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/New-Mexico-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-5078750.php
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