On February 11, 2014, plaintiffs, same-sex couples who are legally married in other states, filed suit in the circuit court of Jackson County, Missouri against the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Attorney General for the State of Missouri, and the Governor of Missouri. Plaintiffs sued for declaratory and injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging violations of the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Constitution. Plaintiffs sought an order that would require the State of Missouri to recognize plaintiffs' out of state marriages.

Plaintiffs argued that because the State of Missouri treats them as legal strangers, Plaintiffs are prevented from accessing the same kind of benefits as married couples who are recognized by the State. The effect, according to the Plaintiffs, is discrimination based on sexual orientation without any legitimate State purpose.

On October 3, 2014, Judge Dale Youngs issued an order granting in part a summary judgment motion in favor of the Plaintiffs. In his order, Judge Young ruled that the Missouri laws, which prohibited the recognition of same-sex marriages from other states, violated the 14th Amendment in that they discriminated based on sexual orientation and were not related to a legitimate governmental interest.

Following this order, on October 6, 2014, the Attorney General for the State of Missouri, Chris Koster, issued a statement that the State would not appeal the judgment of the circuit court.

Patrick Branson - 03/16/2015


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