• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Judge changes lesbian "divorce" to "termination"

Judge changes lesbian "divorce" to "termination"

December 30, 2003 By admin

The northwest Iowa judge who sparked controversy by granting a divorce to a lesbian couple has amended that decision. The Woodbury County Judge now says he did not have the authority to grant a divorce to end the women’s marriage. He now says he is “terminating” their “civil union,” which they obtained in Vermont. Iowa Family Policy Center director Chuck Hurley says it looks like a “distinction without a difference.” Hurley says when he read the first page of the ruling, he was happy the judge acknowledged he did not have jurisdiction to dissolve a lesbian marriage. But Hurley says on the second page, the judge changed the wording from marriage to civil union and terminated that. Hurley says the judge lacks the authority under current Iowa law to grant either a divorce or a termination of a civil union. Hurley says if the judge and the couple can’t “just create their own little kingdom in Sioux City and do whatever they want.” Hurley says his group will proceed with its own legal effort to undo the lesbian divorce. Written legal arguments on the case are to be presented to the Iowa Supreme Court on January 12th. Hurley says a lot is at stake because a judge, in Hurley’s opinion, is trying to ignore the state legislature’s edict that marriage in Iowa means a union of a man and a woman. Judge Jeffrey Neary has said he didn’t check to see the names of the two parties seeking a divorce in his court since there was no legal tiff between the two of them and his original ruling was merely putting the court’s stamp of approval on the plan which divided the couple’s property.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt

Featured Stories

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

Iowan who was oldest person in the U.S. dies

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

Northern Iowa men host Valparaiso

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC