Same-sex couples must be permitted to marry in New Jersey starting next month, a state judge ruled Friday, arguing that the parallel label "civil unions," which the state already allows gay couples, is illegally preventing them from getting federal benefits. The judge ordered that same-sex marriages be allowed starting October 21, unless Gov. Chris Christie (R) appeals the decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court. "If the trend of federal agencies deeming civil union partners ineligible for benefits continues, plaintiffs will suffer even more, while their opposite-sex New Jersey counterparts continue to receive federal marital benefits for no reason other than the label placed upon their relationship by the state," Judge Mary Jacobson of Mercer County Superior Court wrote. "This unequal treatment requires that New Jersey extend civil marriage to same-sex couples to satisfy the equal protection guarantees of the New Jersey Constitution."
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