A Texas judge ruled Thursday that two
Dallas men married in Massachusetts may divorce in the state, The
Dallas Morning News reported.
The ruling by Texas District Judge Tena
Callahan was quickly criticized by conservative Republicans who
support the gay marriage ban placed in the state's constitution by
voters in 2005.
“The laws and constitution of the
State of Texas define marriage as an institution involving one man
and one woman,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said in a
statement. “Today's ruling purports to strike down that
constitutional definition – despite the fact that it was recently
adopted by 75 percent of Texas voters.”
Governor Rick Perry, who supports the
ban, called the ruling “flawed.” Abbott said he would appeal the
ruling “to defend the traditional definition of marriage.”
In her ruling, Judge Callahan said the
state's ban on gay marriage violates the U.S. Constitution.
“This is huge news. We're ecstatic,”
Peter Schulte, a lawyer representing one of the men, said.
The men married in Massachusetts in
September 2006. One of the men, identified only as J.B., said the
couple had been together 11 years and that the breakup was painful.
He filed for divorce in January, citing “discord or conflict of
personalities.”