Rhode Island family court judge to decide whether the state recognizes same-sex marriage


PlanetOut News reported that "A lesbian couple married in Massachusetts has filed for divorce in Rhode Island, setting up a legal conundrum for judges in a state where the laws are silent on the legality of same-sex marriage."

Rhode Island Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah, Jr. has scheduled a preliminary hearing for Dec. 5. He has to decide whether his court has jurisdiction to handle the case. The question he will presumably have to decide is whether the state of Rhode Island recognizes that the couple is married, because it is a given that his court "has jurisdiction to hear all petitions for divorce and any motions in conjunction with divorce proceedings."

Posted: Thursday - November 23, 2006 at 12:43 AM          

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