NEW JERSEY DIVORCE MEDIATION

Under the equal-protection guarantee of the New Jersey Constitution, committed same-sex couples in New Jersey must be afforded the same rights that are enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the civil marriage statutes. Denying committed same-sex couples the financial and social benefits given to their married heterosexual counterparts bears no substantial relationship to a legitimate governmental purpose. The name to be given to the statutory scheme---whether "marriage" or some other term---is left to the New Jersey legislature.    Lewis, et al. v. Harris, etc., et al., New Jersey Supreme Ct ., October 10, 2006