“We now join the twelve federal district courts across the country which, when confronted with these inequities in their own states, have concluded that all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil marriage,” U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III writes in his decision.
Pennsylvania’s law, passed in 1996 by Republican Gov. Tom Ridge, defined marriage as "a civil contract by which one man and one woman take each other for husband and wife.” Jones reportedly found the ban violates both the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment after 11 gay and lesbian couples came together to challenge the court on their right to marry.
Shortly after the decision, which is embedded in full below, Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane expressed her support for Jones.
Today, in Pennsylvania, the Constitution prevailed. Inequality in any form is unacceptable and it has never stood the test of time.
— AG Kathleen G. Kane (@PaAttorneyGen) 20 Mei 2014
I have remained steadfast in my decision not to defend PA’s Defense of Marriage Act. I am pleased that Judge Jones ruled similarly.
— AG Kathleen G. Kane (@PaAttorneyGen) 20 Mei 2014
Within the hour, Pennsylvania issued a marriage license to its first gay couple, and its Register of Wills office announced it would stay open late on Tuesday.
First same sex marriage license issued in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/8zgDZVBheE
— Tom MacDonald--WHYY (@TMacDonaldWHYY) 20 Mei 2014
Here's the decision in its entirety:
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