DETROIT, Mich. — A judge is refusing to dismiss the case of two women who are challenging Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer “are entitled to their day in court,” Detroit federal Judge Bernard Friedman wrote in a five-page ruling on Monday. The couple and the state attorneys defending Michigan’s 2004 ban on same-sex marriage will appear in court July 10 for a status hearing.
Both sides are expected to cite the recent Supreme Court rulings on same-sex marriage. The court struck down part of the federal law barring government benefits for same-sex couples who are legally married, but they also said states have the power to define marriage.
