Boston, Mass., Apr 22, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Thomas More Law Center and several other pro-family legal groups filed a petition April 21 to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on behalf of a private citizen, seeking to stay the court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
The petition claims the stay is necessary to prevent legal chaos, reported LifeSiteNews.com.
In effect, the petition asks the court to put on hold its decision in the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health so that the constitutional process to amend the state's constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman – which is already underway – can proceed without interference and will not be undermined.
The court decision had defined civil marriage as "the voluntary union of two persons as spouses, to the exclusion of all others," and ruled that it is unlawful to deny same-sex couples the benefits and protections of marriage under Massachusetts' state law.
As a result of this decision, same-sex couples will be permitted to marry in the state as of May 17.
Other pro-family law groups joining the Thomas More Law Center in the petition include Citizens for the Preservation of Constitutional Rights, Liberty Counsel, and AFA Center for Law and Policy.