Louisiana judge rules in favor of the freedom to marry, 40th victory since June ‘13

Today, September 22, Judge Edward Rubin of the 15th Judicial District Court ruled in favor of the freedom to marry in a state legal challenge to an amendment in Louisiana that denies same-sex couples the freedom to marry.

The case, Costanza and Brewer v. Caldwell, was filed in 2013 on behalf of Angela Marie Costanza and Chastity Shanelle Brewer, who are raising their 10-year-old son in Lafayette. The case sought respect for Angela and Chastity’s marriage license; since Louisiana did not respect their marriage, one mother was not permitted to legally adopt her son.

The ruling today grants the second-parent adoption and affirms that the Louisiana amendment violates the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.

The ruling today comes just three weeks after U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman became the first federal judge since June 2013 to uphold marriage discrimination, when he ruled in Robicheaux v. Caldwell in favor of marriage discrimination in Louisiana. Judge Rubin’s order today is a swift rebuttal of the out-of-step decision inRobicheaux and is another demonstration that America – all of America – is ready for the freedom to marry.

In total, 40 separate rulings have been issued since June 2013 in favor of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. More than 80 cases have been filed in state and federal courts across the country. In five cases, all parties have urged the United States Supreme Court to grant certiorari this year and resolve the question of whether same-sex couples have the freedom to marry.

(Courtesy of FreedomToMarry.org)