Supreme Court Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
The United States Supreme Court has the struck down the Defense of Marriage Act as an unconstitutional violation of the 5th Amendment’s protection of equal liberty.
“DOMA singles out a class of persons deemed by a State entitled of recognition and protection to enhance their own liberty.”
“The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity. By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others.”
The 5-4 decision was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy.
The Court’s 76 page decision can be downloaded here.
Posted: June 26th, 2013 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Marriage Equality, Same Sex Marriage, SCOTUS, U.S. Supreme Court | Tags: Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA | 7 Comments »