Will New Jersey
be the next to grant same-sex marriage?

The state supreme court of New Jersey held its first hearing Wednesday on a same-sex marriage case brought by seven gay couples seeking marriage licenses. During the 65-minute session in Trenton, five of the seven justices pointedly questioned lawyers on both sides, The New York Times reports. Among the questions lobbed at Lambda Legal attorney David S. Buckel was whether allowing same-sex marriage would create a judicial precedent for polygamy. Buckel replied that the two issues were unrelated because marriage has already been established as a union of two people and no more. Later, Patrick DeAlmeida, assistant attorney general for the state, said that marriage was fundamentally a union between two people of the opposite sex, adding that any changes to that tradition should occur through the state legislature and not through the courts. Yet the court's chief justice, Deborah T. Poritz, observed that the institution of marriage has already changed, pointing out that people of different races are now allowed to marry and that women have gained more rights. ''What is the state resting this on? Just that there's been a definition for a long time?'' Poritz asked. A ruling in the case, Lewis v. Harris, is not expected for several months. Should the court decide in favor of the couples, who argue that New Jersey's constitution gives them the right to marry, it would make the state the second in the country to grant full marriage equality behind Massachusetts. (Advocate.com)