Michigan same-sex marriage ban faces federal test in October

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Joseph Lichterman
DETROIT | Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:43pm EDT

(Reuters) - A challenge to Michigan's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage brought by a suburban Detroit couple could be decided as early as October, a federal judge in Detroit said on Wednesday.

April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, who have lived together for more than six years and have three adopted children, are challenging the ban along with a state law that prevents them from jointly adopting their children.

DeBoer adopted a 3-year-old girl and Rowse has two adopted boys, now 3 and 4 years old. Each was barred by state law from adopting the other's children. If they were a married, heterosexual couple, state law would have allowed them to jointly adopt the children.

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At a hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman scheduled oral arguments in the case for October 1 and told the lawyers he would likely issue a written opinion soon after on the challenge to the constitutional ban, which Michigan voters adopted in 2004.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/11/us-usa-gaymarriage-michigan-idUSBRE96A02020130711

[davidpdx]

1. I've heard people suggest that the same will likely happen in Oregon

with Measure 36 (which was also passed in 2004) given the outcome of the SC cases. I am surprised nothing has been done in almost 9 years to reverse it (either by the legislature or by petition). Getting it overturned in the court is probably going to be easier than by a ballot measure (and I don't think the legislature will touch it).