11/05/2009
Wisconsin Supreme Court Declines to Hear Domestic Partner Case
Offering no explanation, the Wisconsin Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear a case challenging domestic partner benefits in the state, the Badger Herald reports:
"According to court documents, the justices reviewed the case this week and decided the case should be tried in lower courts instead of directly by the Supreme Court.
The case in question, Appling v. Doyle, where Wisconsin Family Action CEO Julaine Appling filed a petition of original jurisdiction stating the domestic partner benefits set up in the 2009-11 biennium budget by Gov. Jim Doyle were in direct violation of a 2006 constitutional amendment banning gay marriages in the state.
Original jurisdiction brings the matter straight before the Supreme Court instead of having it work through the lower courts.
Doyle spokesperson Lee Sensenbrenner commended the Supreme Court on its decision and said Doyle is confident the domestic partnership protections will be upheld in other courts.
Katie Belanger, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, was also pleased with the order of the court, saying the protections for same-sex couples in no way violates the gay marriage ban."
970 couples have been added to the state's domestic partner registry since the law took effect in August.
Posted 8:28 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Marriage, News, Wisconsin |
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On the same day, however, the WI Supreme Court heard arguments about the constitutionality of the state's 2006 ssm and civil unions ban.
Posted by: Guest89 | Nov 5, 2009 8:42:53 AM