Federal Judge Strikes Down Nebraska Marriage Ban

New York - March 2, 2015– Today U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon ruled that denying marriage for same-sex couples in Nebraska is unconstitutional. The ruling is set to go in effect on March 9th at 8:00 a.m., unless a stay is granted by the 8th Circuit.

Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:

"Every day that loving and committed couples are denied the freedom to marry in the decreasing number of states that still discriminate against same-sex couples and their families is a day of tangible hardships and indignity. Fortunately, Nebraska may soon no longer be one of those discriminating states, thanks to today's strong ruling from yet another court -- the 65th in the past two years -- affirming the freedom to marry. It is time for the U.S. Supreme Court to bring the country to national resolution and end marriage discrimination for all Americans."

Same-sex couples can now marry in nearly three-fourths of the country. When couples are free to marry in Nebraska, there will still be 12 states that discriminate.

Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.