North Carolina’s religious objection law challenged in court
The US state of North Carolina’s law which allows magistrates to refuse to marry same-sex couples is to be challenged in court.
Three couples are suing over the law, which allows religious objections to enable magistrates to refuse to marry gay, lesbian or bisexual couples.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday in federal court, says North Carolina’s law, which was passed six months ago is unconstitutional.
It says the law violates the US Constitution by allowing those with religious belifes rights over the ordinary citizens of the state.
The lawsuit also says the magistrates should not be able to refuse to do part of their job.
The law was originally vetoed by Governor Pat McCrory, but was passed by the General Assembly.
It requires magistrates to have a “sincerely held religious objection,” to refuse to perform same-sex weddings.
Civil marriages have been legal in North Carolina since October 2014.
In July this year, the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of legalising same-sex marriage across all states in the US.
