US: Wisconsin couple urges state Supreme Court to strike down same-sex marriage ban

A gay couple in Wisconsin has asked the state’s Supreme Court to strike down a statewide same-sex marriage ban.

The couple, Katherine Halopka-Ivery and Linda Halopka-Ivery on Wednesday filed a lawsuit directly with the Supreme Court, therefore bypassing the lower courts, reports the Associated Press.

The couple live in Milwaukee County and got married in San Diego. The lawsuit alleges that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage denies them federal marriage rights already given to straight couples.

In addition, the lawsuit argues that the state is restricting same-sex marriage based on religious opposition to it.

The American Civil Liberties Union earlier this year asked District Judge Barbara Crabb to suspend the ban via a preliminary injunction as part of their challenge to the ban.

Since she declined their request warning that any injunction could quickly be overturned on procedural grounds.

The Justice Department in Wisconsin is defending the state’s ban in both cases.

• Dec 01 2023

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