Oral arguments to begin in same-sex ban lawsuit
KANSAS CITY (AP) - A Kansas City judge is preparing to hear arguments in a Jackson County lawsuit challenging Missouri's rejection of same-sex marriages that have been performed in other states.
Ten same-sex couples who were married in other states are suing Kansas City and state officials, including Gov. Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster, for violating their due process and equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The plaintiffs say Missouri recognizes different-sex marriages performed elsewhere and that under a 2013 Supreme Court ruling it is obligated to treat same-sex marriages the same way. They are seeking a permanent injunction requiring the state to recognize all same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The lawsuit is one of at least three legal challenges to Missouri's ban on same-sex marriages.