County clerks sued over same sex marriage

BALTIMORE, July 7 (UPI) -- The ACLU Wednesday sued Maryland county clerks, alleging a state law denying same-sex couples the right to marry violates the Maryland Constitution.

"Lesbian and gay couples make the same commitments to each other and their children that straight couples do," said David Rocah, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. "Their families need and deserve the same protections. Excluding lesbian and gay couples from marriage denies them and their children important safeguards and discriminates against families when they are most vulnerable."

The lawsuit, filed in state court in Baltimore, said the law violates Maryland's constitutional guarantees of equality.

Similar suits have been filed by the ACLU in New York, Oregon, California and Washington State.