Federal Judge Rules South Dakota Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

Freedom To Marry has tweeted that U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier, a Clinton appointee, has ruled South Dakota's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

From the ruling:

“In Loving, the Supreme Court addressed a traditionally accepted definition of marriage that prohibited Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving from marrying.

"Because Virginia’s laws deprived that couple of their fundamental right to marriage, the Court struck down those laws.

"Little distinguishes this case from Loving. Plaintiffs have a fundamental right to marry. South Dakota law deprives them of that right solely because they are same-sex couples and without sufficient justification.”

The order is stayed pending probable appeal to 8th Circuit Court.

Stay tuned as more info becomes available.

Read the ruling below:

4:14-cv-04081 #50 by Equality Case Files