New Jersey Trial Court Says State Equal Protection Guarantee Requires Allowing Same-Sex Marriage; Appeal Planned

In Garden State Equality v. Dow, (NJ Super. Ct., Sept. 27, 2013), a New Jersey State trial court held that after the U.S. Supreme Court's Windsor decision extending federal spousal benefits to same-sex married couples (but not to couples merely in civil unions), the equal protection guaranties of the New Jersey state constitution requires the state to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples. Previously New Jersey only recognized civil unions. The court ordered that its decision not take effect until Oct. 21 in order to give the state time to either effectuate or appeal the ruling. Friday's New Jersey Star-Ledger reports on the decision. According to PolitickerNJ on Friday, a spokesman for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that the administration would appeal the ruling to the New Jersey Supreme Court.