Boston, Mass., May 13, 2004 / 22:00 pm
An attempt to block legal same-sex marriages from taking place in Massachusetts next week failed when a federal judge rejected arguments presented in court by groups in favor of maintaining traditional marriage.
The Catholic Action League joined the Liberty Counsel, 11 state legislators and a number of conservative groups in presenting a petition to U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro Wednesday.
The groups argued that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overstepped its authority when it ruled in November that same-sex marriage should be legal in the state.
However, the federal judge said yesterday that the Massachusetts high court acted within its authority in interpreting the state’s Constitution.
The plaintiffs said they would take their arguments to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
According to the ruling, municipal clerks could issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples as of Monday.
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