| Baker v. State of Vermont | |
|---|---|
| Court | Vermont Supreme Court |
| Full case name | Stan Baker, et al v. State of Vermont, et al |
| Decided | December 20, 1999 |
| Citation | 744 A.2d 864 (Vt. 1999) |
| Case history | |
| Prior action | Claim dismissed |
| Subsequent action | Creation of Same-sex Civil Unions |
| Court membership | |
| Chief judge | Jeffrey L. Amestoy |
| Associate judges | John A. Dooley, James L. Morse, Marilyn S. Skoglund, Denise R. Johnson |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Amestoy joined by Morse, Skoglund |
| Concurrence | Dooley |
| Concur/dissent | Johnson |
Baker v. Vermont, 744 A.2d 864 (Vt. 1999), was a lawsuit decided by Vermont Supreme Court on December 20, 1999. It was one of the first judicial affirmations of the right of same-sex couples to treatment equivalent to that afforded different-sex couples. The decision held that the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage denied rights granted by the Vermont Constitution. The court ordered the Vermont legislature to either allow same-sex marriages or implement an alternative legal mechanism according similar rights to same-sex couples.