ARIZONA: Lambda Legal Calls For Immediate Ruling In Marriage Case

Via press release:

Lambda Legal today urged U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick to issue an immediate ruling striking down Arizona's discriminatory marriage ban. Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Jennifer C. Pizer said:"Nelda and Karen have been waiting since the Eisenhower Administration; the time is now. None of these loving and committed couples should have to wait even one day longer for the equal treatment that the Constitution promises. The indelible writing is on the wall, both with the 9th Circuit ruling and last week's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to review circuit court rulings out of the 4th, 7th and 10th Circuits striking down similar bans in five states nationwide. Equality plus liberty add up to marriage for same-sex couples here in Arizona, too."

Lambda Legal's filing follows last Tuesday's ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals striking down discriminatory marriage bans in Nevada and Idaho, which came just a day after the announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court denying review of seven marriage lawsuits from the 4th, 7th and 10th Circuits that had struck down discriminatory marriage bans in Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Utah. Pizer added: "After last week's blizzard of rulings and announcements, same-sex couples can now marry or have their legal marriages recognized in 30 states, a jump of almost 60 percent in just ten days. There is no reason Arizona cannot be the 31st and provide the privileges and protections of marriage to our clients and to same-sex couples and their families across the state."

Five states have not yet complied with Circuit Court rulings: Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, and South Carolina.