Massachusetts to recognise gay marriage

Updated: 22:14, Tuesday, 18 November 2003

The US state of Massachusetts has ruled that same-sex couples are legally entitled to marry.

The US state of Massachusetts has ruled that same-sex couples are legally entitled to marry.

The Massachusetts court ruled that barring same-sex couples from the benefits of civil marriage was 'unconstitutional'.

But the Supreme Judicial Court stopped short of ordering that marriage licences be issued to seven gay couples who challenged the law.

The ruling means that Massachusetts is the first US state to recognise gay marriage.

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