« Station Fire: A brief recess, and an admonishment | Today | Station Fire: 'It tears at my heart' »

September 29, 2006

Boston judge clears marriage of two Providence women

BOSTON _ A Superior Court judge ruled a gay couple from Rhode Island has the right to marry in Massachusetts, saying that Rhode Island laws do not expressly prohibit same-sex marriage.

Wendy Becker and Mary Norton of Providence, argued that a 1913 law that forbids out-of-state residents from marrying in Massachusetts if their marriage would not be permitted in their home state did not apply to them because Rhode Island does not specifically ban gay marriage.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly agreed.

``No evidence was introduced before this court of a constitutional amendment, statute, or controlling appellate decision from Rhode Island that explicitly deems void or otherwise expressly forbids same-sex marriage,'' he ruled.

The state attorney general's office argued that Rhode Island statutes use gender-specific terms, including both ``bride'' and ``groom,'' and it was clear the intention was to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

--- The Associated Press

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 10:35 AM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)