Campaign for Southern Equality -v- Bryant
11/12/14 Jackson, MS. Photo by Suzi Altman
The Campaign for Southern Equality -v- Bryant was argued in Federal Court in Jackson Mississippi for 6 hours in front of Judge Carlton Reeves. The plaintiffs argued for a preliminary injunction that would immediately strike down the state of Mississippi's current ban on same sex marriage. The plaintiffs lead counsel is Roberta Kaplan, who has successfully argued against the United States Supreme court in the historic case United States v-Windsor. That landmark case struck down sections of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and paved the way to marriage equality in the United States. The two couples who filed the historic suit in Mississippi and await the Judge's decision are Joce Pritchett and her wife Dr. Carla Webb, and Rebecca Bickett and her wife Andrea Sanders (they have 15 mo. old twin boys). Joce and her partner also have two children. Judge Reeves is expected to rule in the next few days. The Campaign for Southern Equality-V-Bryant challenges the constitutionality of marriage laws in Mississippi. Currently the state bans same sex marriage and deny recognition of same sex couples marriages from out of state. The lawsuit was filed on October 20, 2014 on behalf of the two same sex couples and the Campaign for Southern Equality. Photo by Suzi Altman @suzialtman