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California court overturns ban on same-sex marriages

16/05/2008

The California supreme court has overturned a ban on same-sex marriages.

The court declared the state law banning the marriages was unconstitutional and that the "right to form a family relationship" applied to all Californian residents regardless of their sexuality.

Previously, California's governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed laws to legalise gay marriages claiming the court system should rule on the matter.

Yesterday, the panel of seven judges ruled in favour of those who claimed the ban was discriminatory.

"Limiting the designation of marriage to a union 'between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute," California chief justice Ron George said.

The judges declared the state's constitution "guarantees same-sex couples the same substantive constitutional rights as opposite-sex couples to choose one's life partner and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognised and protected family relationship".

Reuters news agency reports that opponents of gay marriage are vowing to contest the ruling with a state-wide ballot measure for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages.

Same-sex marriage is a highly controversial subject in the US with millions of conservative Christian voters, including president George Bush, opposing it.