Court Cases

Baker v. Vermont

In 1996 three same sex couples were denied marriage licenses from the towns of Milton, Shelburne and South Burlington. They sued each town, and the state of Vermont, declaring that refusing to give them the marriage licenses was unconstitutional. The towns wanted to dismiss the case stating that the Vermont constitution did not allow same sex marriage and that same sex marriage did not promote "the link between procreation and child rearing".  The couples then appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court. The Vermont Supreme Court denied there argument that there rights were being violated according to the Vermont Marriage status because the status defined marriage as between a bride and groom, meaning a man and a women. But, in the end, the Vermont Supreme court unanimously decided that there was a violation of rights granted by the  Vermont Constitution.  But Instead of a same sex marriage law a civil union law was established. 


Goodridge vs. the Department of Public Health


In 2001 the GLAD gay and lesbian organization, sued the Department of Public Health claiming that they had refused to give 6 same sex couple marriage licenses (many of these couples had children). The Massachusetts Supreme Court found in favor of the couple and stated that "the state may not deny the protections, benefits and obligations conferred by civil marriage to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry." By November 18, 2003, same sex couples had the right to marry in the state of Massachusetts.