Lambda Legal Hails New Mexico Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

(Albuquerque, NM - December 19, 2013) - The New Mexico Supreme Court today ruled that denying same-sex couples the ability to marry violates the Equal Protection Clause of the New Mexico constitution. The ruling came in Greigo v. Oliver, a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of New Mexicoand the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

Camilla Taylor, National Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal, issued the following statement:

"This ruling brings to 17 the number of states where same-sex couples can marry, along with the District of Columbia, and we congratulate our colleagues at the ACLU and NCLR on this wonderful victory. This beautiful unanimous decision explicitly underscores the argument we and our sister organizations have long made: denying same-sex couples the ability to marry imposes significant emotional and dignitary harm and is discrimination, pure and simple.

"It was also wonderful to read this decision and see the multiple references to the hard-fought victories the LGBT rights movement has won over the years - including our recent victory in New Jersey. This is proof-positive that each victory takes us closer to the ultimate goal of full equality for all across the country."