Arkansas judge strikes down state's gay marriage ban

AP Photo/Danny Johnston

Arkansas judge strikes down state's gay marriage ban
(Image credit: AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Saying Arkansas had "no rational reason" to prevent gay couples from marrying, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza struck down a 2004 voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage late on Friday.

"This is an unconstitutional attempt to narrow the definition of equality," Piazza wrote in a decision reported by The Associated Press. "The exclusion of a minority for no rational reason is a dangerous precedent."

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Sarah Eberspacher

Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.