Hartford, Conn.
How can the traditional definition of marriage be changed to include same-sex couples, Connecticut's Supreme Court justices asked a lawyer Monday as they heard arguments urging them to legalize gay marriage in the state."How can it reasonably be done or logically be done to sort of delink the long-standing, deeply held institutional aspect of marriage, that it's a union between a man and a woman, and then define marriage as something other than that for purposes of this argument?" Justice Richard Palmer asked.
Connecticut already offers civil unions, but eight gay couples, unhappy with the civil unions law, are suing over the state's refusal to grant them marriage licenses. They say the marriage law is unconstitutional because it applies only to heterosexual couples and denies gay couples the financial, social and emotional benefits of marriage.
Attorneys on both sides say a decision in the couples' favor could have nationwide implications for states that have adopted or are considering civil union-like legislation.
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