News & Commentary

SANTA FE, NM—Today, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico, the national ACLU, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) filed an emergency request with New Mexico’s Second Judicial District Court to allow a Pojoaque same-sex couple, Jen Roper and Angelique Neuman, to legally marry immediately because Jen suffers from a severe medical condition that may prove fatal in the near future.  Jen suffers from a life-threatening form of brain cancer, and her health has deteriorated severely in the past few months. Today’s request seeks an emergency order from the court that would allow the couple to marry so that their three children will be legally protected should Jen pass away.  

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—This morning, same sex couples in Doña Ana County began receiving marriage licenses after County Clerk Lynn Ellins announced his office would issue them. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, two of the organizations litigating a case in the New Mexico courts seeking the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, responded:

Lawsuit also asks court to recognize marriages between same-sex couples performed out of state as valid in New Mexico.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HUzbWcB0rA This video was produced for the Why Marriage Matters New Mexico campaign, an effort by the ACLU of New Mexico and E

Las Cruces resident Ryan Steinmetz and his partner of six years Salvador Adame talk about why they want the freedom to marry.

Native New Mexicans and current Farmington residents Mike and Loretta Davila speak about their journey towards acceptance of their two gay daughters.

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This morning in the New York Times, Lincoln Chafee, the governor of Rhode Island penned an

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Today, two same-sex couples seeking the freedom to marry filed a lawsuit in Albuquerque’s district court after they applied for and were denied marriage licenses. The lawsuit claims that the New Mexico marriage statutes and New Mexico Constitution do not bar same-sex couples from marrying, and therefore the State of New Mexico should issue civil marriage licenses to any same-sex couple who applies for one. The couples are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of New Mexico, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the Albuquerque law firm Sutin, Thayer & Browne, APC, and local cooperating attorneys Maureen Sanders, Lynn Perls, and Kate Girard.   New Mexico is the only state in the country th