A state judge overturned Missouri’s constitutional ban on gay marriage Wednesday. St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison said in a written ruling that Missouri’s measure recognizing marriage only between a man and woman violates the due process and equal protection rights of the U.S. Constitution. The decision mirrored ones handed down recently in several other states.
The case started on June 26, 2014, when acting St. Louis Recorder of Deeds Sharon Carpenter issued marriage licenses to four St. Louis couples, in defiance of Missouri’s constitutional marriage ban.
On September 29, there were oral arguments in the State of Missouri v Jennifer Florida case. Arguments in favor of marriage recognition for same-sex couples in Missouri were made by St. Louis City Attorney Winston Calvert.
Opposing arguments were made by State Attorney Jeremiah J.
Morgan.
Morgan argued during a September court hearing that 71 percent of Missourians had voted for the referendum and said that the U.S. Supreme Court has time and again allowed states to define marriage.
Calvert countered that the existing law treats same-sex couples as “second-class citizens.” He said an increasing number of states are allowing gay couples to wed, including most of the states surrounding Missouri.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.