Same-sex couple brought action against governor and attorney general, alleging voter approved Michigan Marriage Amendment (MMA), which prohibited same-sex marriage, violated the Fourteenth Amendment equal protection and due process clauses. Held: (1) MMA was not rationally related to government interest in providing optimal environment for child rearing; (2) asserted interests in tradition and morality were not rational bases; and (3) that Michigan had exclusive and inherent powers to define marriage did not preclude district court from finding MMA violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
Laura W. Morgan is the owner and operator at Family Law Consulting in Charlottesville, Virginia.Laura is available for consultation, brief writing and research on family law issues throughout the country. She can be reached through her website. www.famlawconsult.com
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