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Lawson v. Kelly - Freedom to Marry in Missouri

Last Update: December 24, 2014

What's at Stake

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Missouri filed a petition in Jackson County, MO on behalf of two couples, Angela Curtis and Shannon McGinty, and Kyle Lawson and Evan Dahlgren, who wished to marry, but were denied marriage licenses because of Missouri’s amendment limiting marriage to opposite sex couples. Both couples tried to get marriage licenses in Jackson County.

The petition states that Missouri’s ban on marriages between individuals of the same sex is discriminatory and deprives the plaintiffs and their families of the dignity and status that only marriage can confer.

On November 7, 2014 a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that same-sex couples can obtain marriage licenses. This judgment strikes down Missouri’s 2004 constitutional amendment that excluded gay men and lesbians from marriage. The decision was stayed pending appeals.

Meet the plaintiffs.

Status: On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that state bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. Same-sex couples now have the freedom to marry in all 50 states. VICTORY!

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