| Garden State Equality v. Dow | |
|---|---|
| Court | New Jersey Superior Court, Law Division, Mercer Vicinage |
| Full case name | Garden State Equality et al. v. Paula Dow acting in her official capacity as Attorney General of New Jersey et al. |
| Decided | September 27, 2013 |
| Citations | 82 A. 3d 336 - NJ: Superior Court, Law Div. 2013 |
| Case history | |
| Subsequent actions | Defendants' motion to stay the trial court's order, denied (79 A. 3d 1036 - NJ: Supreme Court 2013) |
| Court membership | |
| Judges sitting | Mary C. Jacobson, A.J.S.C. |
Garden State Equality v. Dow, 82 A. 3d 336 (N.J. Super. Ct. Law Div. 2013) is a New Jersey Superior Court case holding that New Jersey's marriage laws violated the rights of same-sex couples to equal protection of the law under the New Jersey State Constitution. The ruling was issued on September 27, 2013. The Superior Court and the Superior Court, Appellate Division refused the State's request for a stay of the trial court's order, and the New Jersey Supreme Court refused to do so on a 7–0 vote. The ruling took effect on October 21, 2013. On the same day, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie dropped the State's plans to appeal, ending the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples in New Jersey.