Judge strikes down Arkansas gay adoption ban

VIDEO - An Arkansas circuit court judge has declared Arkansas' unmarried couples adoption and foster law unconstitutional...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

An Arkansas circuit court judge has declared Arkansas’ unmarried couples adoption and foster law unconstitutional.

Judge Chris Piazza announced his decision Friday afternoon in a two-page ruling.

He had taken the matter under advisement after a hearing last week.

Judge Piazza’s ruling read in part, ”…it is especially troubling that one politically unpopular group has been specifically targeted for exclusion by the Act,” and goes on to say “Due Process and Equal Protection are not hollow words without substance.”

In November 2008, Arkansas voters approved the ban on unmarried couples adopting or fostering children that put Initiated Act 1 on the law books.

The law stopped all unmarried couples, including gay and lesbians, from adopting and becoming foster parents.

The Arkansas Family Council shared its reaction to the ruling in the following statement:

“Today’s ruling by Judge Piazza is a classic example of judicial tyranny. It is a sad day when one judge in Little Rock chooses to overrule the will of the people of Arkansas. Act One was passed with 57% of the vote in a fair election. We teach our children in school that we have government by the people – apparently, not in this case.

Act One protects the welfare of the children. The people of Arkansas recognized this and they passed it. Today’s ruling by Judge Piazza hurts children and it puts their welfare in jeopardy.

We have decided to appeal this case. From the beginning, we have been prepared to take this fight all the way to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Now we are ready to do so.”

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