Judge Strikes Down Mississippi Ban on Same-Sex Adoptions

Four couples sued the state to become legal parents

A federal judge struck down Mississippi’s ban on adoption by same-sex couples Thursday, NBC News reported.

U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan called the state’s lawyers defense “tepid,” and criticized them for not even trying to justify the legality of the law. The lawyers argued that the gay and lesbian rights groups that represented four couples didn’t have legal standing to sue.

Mississippi was the last state to have a ban after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last year.

"While it may be hard to discern a precise test, the Court extended its holding to marriage-related benefits — which includes the right to adopt," Jordan wrote in his decision.  

Contact Us