The
New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that gay marriage is legal in the
Land of Enchantment.
The
court said in an unanimous decision that it is unconstitutional to deny
marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
"We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally
required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the
rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage
under New Mexico law," Justice Edward L. Chavez wrote in the decision.Many counties in New Mexico had already been issuing
marriage licenses to gay couples, setting up the state Supreme Court to decide
whether it was legal or not. The state didn't explicitly ban or allow same-sex
marriage, leaving the issue in limbo.
New
Mexico becomes the 17th state to legalize gay marriage (map here) and the first in the American Southwest. Illinois
and Hawaii did the same last month. Gay marriage is also legal in the District
of Columbia.
Gay
rights groups were quick to hail the ruling.
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