Walls continue to crumble, Virginia gay marriage ban tossed out by federal court

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A federal judge ruled Virginia's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional late Thursday evening.

From the ruling:

The Court finds Va. Const. Art. I, § 15-A, Va. Code §§ 20-45.2, 20-45.3, and any other Virginia law that bars same-sex marriage or prohibits Virginia's recognition of lawful same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions unconstitutional. These laws deny Plaintiffs their rights to due process and equal protection guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

According to the ruling, the constitutional right to equality should apply to all, including same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses.

"Our Constitution declares that 'all men' are created equal. Surely this means all of us," reads the ruling. "While ever vigilant for the wisdom that can come from the voices of our voting public, our courts have never long tolerated the perpetuation of laws rooted in unlawful prejudice. One of the judiciary's noblest endeavors is to scrutinize law that emerge from such roots."

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