WASHINGTON – Today Federal District Judge Joseph Bataillon issued an injunction against Nebraska’s ban on marriage equality, requiring all state officials to treat same-sex couples equally for the purposes of marriage effective March 9^th.

In Waters v. Ricketts, the ACLU sued the state on behalf of same-sex couples, arguing last month that Nebraska’s ban on marriage equality violates the U.S. Constitution. HRC congratulates the ACLU and the courageous plaintiffs who made this victory possible.

“All across America, LGBT people and their families are seeking the respect and dignity under the law that they deserve,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “This victory in Nebraska is an essential step on the journey toward full equality for all. This discriminatory barrier to marriage for committed and loving gay and lesbian couples does not protect anyone and only harms countless Nebraskan families.”

With oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States just weeks away, the national drumbeat for marriage equality continues with this new ruling. A recent poll by the Human Rights Campaign revealed that, for the first time, a full 60 percent of Americans support the right of same-sex couples to legally marry.

Same-sex couples can legally marry in 37 states and the District of Columbia.