Posted on Oct 26, 2006 | by Staff

OLYMPIA, Wash. (BP)--The Washington state Supreme Court Oct. 25 declined to re-consider its decision against "gay marriage."

The ruling, signed by Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, officially puts an end to a lawsuit that sought to redefine marriage to include homosexuals, the Associated Press reported.

In July the court handed down a 5-4 ruling upholding the state's laws and refusing to legalize "gay marriage." But in late August the Northwest Women's Law Center, which brought the lawsuit, asked the court to reconsider its decision.

Although such requests rarely are granted, the fact that the ruling was decided by one vote kept the door to "gay marriage" at least theoretically open.

The denial was handed down the same day that New Jersey's highest court refused to legalize "gay marriage" and essentially punted the issue to the legislature. That court ordered the legislature to legalize either "gay marriage" or Vermont-style civil unions.

In its July decision, the Washington court handed down a conservatively worded ruling affirming a link between procreation and marriage laws.

"[The state legislature] was entitled to believe that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples furthers procreation, essential to survival of the human race, and furthers the well-being of children by encouraging families where children are reared in homes headed by the children's biological parents," Justice Barbara A. Madsen wrote.
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Compiled by Michael Foust.

For more information about the national debate over "gay marriage," visit http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage