The Facts of Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health Massachusetts

The Facts of Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health Massachusetts:
In April of 2001, 7 gay and lesbian couples attempted to acquire marriage licenses from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health but were denied because Massachusetts does not recognize same-sex marriages. The couples filed suit against the Department of Public Health alleging that the action of denying them a marriage license violated the laws of the Commonwealth and their rights under the Massachusetts Constitution.

If you are using CompuLEGAL to analyze Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health of Massachusetts, you may also want to view a visual of the case. Once you understand the conflict, proceed to the Analysis Page.

If you are only looking for case law, proceed to the Precedents Page.