Group files lawsuit in Iowa seeking gay marriage

[Thom Little]

A gay rights organization filed a lawsuit on behalf of six gay and lesbian couples in Polk County District Court on Tuesday, asking for the right to marry for same-sex couples.

Lambda Legal, the organization that spearheaded the same-sex marriage drive across the country, said it wants full recognition of the civil rights of gay couples.

"There are thousands of couples in Iowa who are eager for the protections and security that come with marriage," Camilla Taylor, a staff attorney with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "They are willing to take on the responsibilities and obligations as well...They shouldn't have to wait any longer," she said.

The group will argue that the state constitution's equal protection and due process clauses make it unlawful for the state to bar same-sex couples from marrying. They plan to take the case to the Iowa Supreme Court if necessary.


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