Case Study: Goodridge V. Department Of Public Health

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Goodridge v. Department of Public Health In Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 440 Mass. 309 (2003), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that it was unconstitutional to forbid people to marry someone of the same sex in Massachusetts. The Court decided that the Commonwealth could not deny a couple the benefits and stability of a civil marriage simply because the petitioners were of the same sex. Similarly, in Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), The Supreme Court held that a Virginia statute outlawing marriage by two people of different races violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. In Loving, the court affirmed that marriage is a fundamental civil right to free persons and stated that, “[t]he Fourteenth…show more content…
Based on the constitutional arguments for both cases, I agree with the rulings of each court. I believe marriage is a fundamental civil right afforded to all free persons based on the Constitution, and that right should not be taken away simply because the government doesn’t agree with who you choose to marry. I strongly agree with Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, who in Goodridge wrote, “[t]he exclusive commitment of two individuals to each other nurtures love and mutual support; it brings stability to our society. For those who choose to marry, and for their children, marriage provides an abundance of legal, financial, and social benefits. In turn it imposes weighty legal, financial, and social obligations." Marriage is not about religion, race, or sexual preference. Marriage is about a union between two people who commit themselves to one another, excluding all others, and creating a stable life together to be productive members of society. The Goodridge court stated that their decision, “does not disturb the fundamental value of marriage in our society…[t]hat same-sex couples are willing to embrace marriage's solemn obligations of exclusivity, mutual support, and commitment to one another is a testament to the enduring place of marriage in our laws and in the human spirit." It is unconstitutional for the government to infringe upon basic rights of citizens to get married solely because of their racial or sexual

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