Romer Revisted or 'the Devil in the Details': Is Georgia's Marriage Amendment Constitutionally Defective?
Florida Coastal Law Review, Vol. 7, p. 255, 2005
Georgia State University College of Law, Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1487763
15 Pages Posted: 13 Oct 2009
Date Written: 2005
Abstract
A comparison of the language of the various state marriage amendments reveals that the phrasing of Georgia's language is unique in limiting marriage to "only the union of man and woman." While other amendments clearly have a broader focus, prohibiting bigamy and polygamy as well as same-sex unions, Georgia's language uniquely bars only homosexual unions. This paper explores the implications of that uniqueness and the extent to which that singular focus imperils the constitutionality of the amendment, particularly under the standards of Romer v. Evans, as well as Lawrence v. Texas.
Keywords: Romer v. Evans, Georgia, gay marriage, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, constitutional law
JEL Classification: K30, K39
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation