The Aug. 1 date for same-sex weddings will go on despite a legal challenge Tuesday in Superior Court, Providence.
Ronald L’Heureux, a cofounder of the Faith Alliance to Preserve the Sanctity of Marriage as Defined by God, brought a petition and complaint to the court on Tuesday morning and sought a temporary restraining order to stop the law from taking effect. Judge Daniel A. Procaccini denied the request, saying L’Heureux had fallen “far short” of the criteria needed to obtain a temporary restraining order, said court spokesman Craig Berke.
Instead, Procaccini scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 9.
L’Heureux’s complaint, which names Governor Chafee, state Department of Health Director Michael Fine and 75 state lawmakers who voted for same-sex marriage as defendants, argues that legalizing same-sex marriage will violate religious freedoms guaranteed by the state Constitution, forcing people to accept, in public spheres such as schools, a practice that they oppose based on their faith.
Rhode Island To Begin Issuing Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples Thursday
July 31, 2013 at 3:36 pm
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