Virginia Judge Rules Marriage Celebrants Law Unconstitutional
A Fairfax County judge has ruled a Virginia law governing marriage celebrants unconstitutional, on the basis that it discriminates against religions that do not have ordained ministers, such as Sikhism, reports The Washington Post.
The state law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and states that non-ordained ministers “must post a $500 bond before performing a wedding, while ordained ministers such as in religions like Judaism and Catholicism do not.
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The law was challenged by four Sikh men, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who were seeking to perform marriages in their congregations. An ACLU spokesperson said the ruling was important in that it recognizes all religions as equal before the law.
The law also restricts congregations that don’t have ordained ministers to one marriage celebrant.
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