Just days before Washington, D.C.,'s new marriage-equality law is set to go into effect, the attorney general of neighboring Maryland issued a long-awaited opinion on whether same-sex marriages validated in other jurisdictions will likely be recognized by courts in that state. The answer is "yes."
Attorney General Douglas Gansler's 55-page opinion, dated Feb. 23 and released Feb. 24, states that his office believes the state court of appeals would "likely respect the law of other states and recognize a same-sex marriage contracted validly in another jurisdiction."
Equality Maryland issued a statement immediately, as did state Sen. Richard Madaleno, who requested in May 2009 that the attorney general issue the formal legal opinion.
Currently, only five states issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and two others—New York and Rhode Island—recognize marriage licenses validly obtained elsewhere, according to the national Freedom to Marriage group. The states that issue marriage licenses include Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire. Washington, D.C., is set to begin implementing its new marriage-equality law Wed., March 3.
©2010 Keen News Service
