Bermuda Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

In a 49-page opinion handed down last week, a Bermuda trial court judge legalized same-sex marriage in the island nation (which is classified as a British Overseas Territory).  In Godwin v. Registrar General, (Bermuda Sup. Ct., May 5, 2017), the court held that the Registrar General violated the Human Rights Act of 1981 (HRA) when it denied a  marriage license to a same-sex couple. The court concluded that the provision of the HRA that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the provision of services applies to the Registrar General's action.  The Royal Gazette reports on reaction to the ruling.