Nathan Fox's Brief in ACLU V PA, The Gay Marriage Case.

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TAI!I OI A!THO!ITIIS ..................................................................... III
I!OCI!!A! HISTO!Y & STATIMIT OI IACTS ......................... l
Q!ISTIOS IVO!VI ......................................................................... 2
IT!O!CTIO ....................................................................................... 3
IACKC!O! .......................................................................................... 5
A!C!MIT ............................................................................................. ll
I. THI S!I!IMI CO!!T`S I!ICIIT I 0!123 45
627896 IO!IC!OSIS I!AITIIIS` C!AIMS. ...................... ll
A. 0,:&$ !ojocfod fho IrocIso CInIms !nIsod Horo. ................. ll
I. 0,:&$ Is IIndIng Irocodonf. .................................................. l4
C. 0,:&$ ConfInuos fo IInd !owor Courfs Affor ;.%+<#$. ....... l4
II. IISY!VAIA`S !OCSTAIC IIIITIO OI
MA!!IACI COMIO!TS WITH IQ!A! I!OTICTIO
IICA!SI IT !ATIOA!!Y !II!ICTS THI STATI`S
!IIC SOVI!IIC ITI!IST I S!IIO!TIC
A S!STAIIC IIO!OCICA! IAMI!IIS. ........................... l?
A. CInssIfIcnfIons ImIIcnfIng SoxunI OrIonfnfIon Musf Io
!hoId Ior Any !nfIonnI InsIs. ............................................ l9
l. 9%/' 3,".#%,/ 0,<.< 3&=.&> !??/.&<. ........................... l9
2. 3,".#%,/ 0,<.< 3&=.&> @< 2A"$&B&/' *&)&$&%".,/5 ........ 2l
3. CD& C># E/,F< #) @B?&$B.<<.G/& !%.BH<I 6#=&/
*.<,G./.".&< ,%+ @%"$H<.#%< .%"# 8","&<J
C$,+.".#%,/ -$#=.%K&5 .................................................... 23
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l Filed l0/07/l3 Page 2 of 66
II
I. IonnsyIvnnIn`s TrndIfIonnI ofInIfIon of MnrrIngo Is
!ongsfnndIng, Suorfod by Sfnfo SovoroIgnfy, nnd
!nfIonnI. ................................................................................. 30
l. ! 7#%F<",%+.%F @%<"."H".#%L 6#" , 6#=&/
*.<,G./."'5 ...................................................................... 30
2. !% 2A&$K.<& #) 8","& 8#=&$&.F%"' "# -$&<&$=& "D&
8","H< MH#5 .................................................................... 30
3. NH/".?/& 3,".#%,/ 0,<&< )#$ -&%%<'/=,%.,J<
C$,+.".#%,/ *&).%.".#% #) N,$$.,F&5 ............................. 32
III. THI OMISTIC !I!ATIOS !AW IS !OOTI I THI
IIO!OCY OI !II!O!CTIO, OT O!TMOI
CII! STI!IOTYIIS, SO IT IS OT SIX
ISC!IMIATIO. ........................................................................ 38
IV. THI!I IS O S!ISTATIVI !I I!OCISS
I!AMITA! !ICHT TO MA!!Y A II!SO OI
OI`S OW SIX. ........................................................................... 40
V. I!AITIIIS` COMI!AIT SHO!! II ISMISSI
IO! IAI!!!I TO JOI ICISSA!Y IA!TIIS !I!
!!!I l9. ......................................................................................... 44
A. IInInfIffs !oquosf !oIIof on IohnIf of InrfIos nof boforo
fhIs Courf, nnd fhnf wIII Imncf !njoInod ofondnnfs. ...... 46
I. ThIs Courf Cnnnof Afford fho IuII !oIIof Soughf by
IInInfIffs Absonf JoIndor of nII CIorks of Orhnns`
Courf. ...................................................................................... 4?
C. JoIndor of nII CIorks of Orhnns` Courf Is ocossnry fo
AvoId !oonfod !nwsuIfs. ..................................................... 49
COC!!SIO ......................................................................................... 5l

III
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!F#<".%. =5 E&/"#%,
52l !.S. 203 (l99?) ......................................................................... l6
!%+&$<&% =5 1.%F O#H%"',
l38 I.3d 963 (Wnsh. 2006) .............................................................. 39
!%:&%G$,%+" =5 3.KD,$+<,
504 !.S. 689 (l992) ......................................................................... 2?
!$B#H$ =5 O."' #) @%+.,%,?#/.<,
l32 S. Cf. 20?3 (20l2) ..................................................................... 22
0,KKD&"", =5 0,KKD&"",,
445 A.2d ll94 (In. l982) .................................................................. 8
0,&D$ =5 7&>.%,
852 I.2d 44 (Hnw.) .................................................................... l0, 40
0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%,
l9l .W.2d l85 (MInn. l9?l) ....................................... l2, 3?, 38, 39
0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%,
409 !.S. 8l0 (l9?2) ..................................................................... 3, l3
0,:&$ =5 8","&,
?44 A.2d 864 (Vf. l999) ................................................................... 38
0#,$+ #) C$H<"&&< #) P%.=&$<."' #) !/,G,B, =5 Q,$$&"",
53l !.S. 356 (200l) ......................................................................... 23
O."' #) O/&GH$%&L C&A,< =5 O/&GH$%& 7.=.%F O&%"&$,
4?3 !.S. 432 (l985) ................................................................... l9, 2l
O."' #) *,//,< =5 8",%F/.%,
490 !.S. l9 (l989) ........................................................................... 2l
Iv
O/,$: =5 R&"&$,
486 !.S. 456 (l988) ......................................................................... l9
O#BB#%>&,/"D =5 0#%,+.#,
4l5 A.2d 4? (In. l980) .................................................................... 26
O#BB#%>&,/"D =5 S,%&<, o. 3?9 M.. 20l3,
sII o. (In. Commw. Cf. Sof. l2, 20l3) ................................. 4?, 50
O#%,>,' =5 *&,%&,
932 A.2d 5?l (Md. 200?) ................................................................. 39
O$#%.<& =5 O$#%.<&,
54 In. 255 (l86?) ............................................................................... 8
*&,% =5 *.<"$.K" #) O#/HBG.,,
653 A.2d 30? (.C. l995) ................................................................ 39
*& 8,%"# =5 0,$%</&',
4?6 A.2d 952 (In. l984) .................................................................... 9
*$,F#=.KD =5 P%."&+ 8","&< *&?,$"B&%" #) C$&,<H$',
8?2 I. Su. 2d 944 (.. CnI. 20l2) ............................................. l6
EOO =5 0&,KD O#BBH%.K,".#%<L @%K5,
508 !.S. 30? (l993) ................................................................... 2l, 22
Q&+H/+.F =5 !.&//#,
4l? !.S. 484 (l9?4) ......................................................................... 40
Q&%&$,/ 3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5 =5 E.$<" 8","& @%<H$,%K& O#5,
500 I.3d 306 (3d CIr. 200?) ..................................... 45, 46, 4?, 49, 5l
Q#/.%<:. =5 P%."&+ 8","&< 9)).K& #) -&$<#%%&/ N,%,F&B&%",
824 I. Su. 2d 968 (.. CnI. 20l2) ............................................. l6
Q$.<>#/+ =5 O#%%&K".KH",
38l !.S. 4?9 (l965) ......................................................................... 38
v
S&//&$ =5 *#&,
509 !.S. 3l2 (l993) ......................................................................... 23
S&$%,%+&T =5 3#G/&<,
855 .I.2d l (.Y. 2006) .......................................................... 34, 39
S.K:< =5 N.$,%+,,
422 !.S. 332 (l9?5) ......................................................................... l4
S#D&G =5 NH$.&/,
?53 I.2d 24 (3d CIr. l985) ......................................................... 49, 50
R#D%<#% =5 3#G.<#%,
4l5 !.S. 36l (l9?4) ......................................................................... 23
R#%&< =5 S,//,D,%,
50l S.W.2d 588 (Ky. l9?3) .............................................................. 39
@% $& 1,%+H,
3l5 I.!. l23 (Innkr. W.. Wnsh. 2005) ........................................ 39
7,>$&%K& =5 C&A,<,
539 !.S. 558 (2003) ............................................................. 25, 26, 43
7&D%D,H<&% =5 7,:& 8D#$& !H"# -,$"< O#5,
4l0 !.S. 356 (l9?3) ......................................................................... 22
7#H.<=.//& Q,< U 2/&K"$.K O#5 =5 O#/&B,%,
2?? !.S. 32 (l928) ........................................................................... 24
7#=.%F =5 4.$F.%.,,
388 !.S. l (l96?) ....................................................................... l2, 42
N,%+&/ =5 0$,+/&',
432 !.S. l?3 (l9??) ......................................................................... l4
@% $& 2<","& #) N,%)$&+.,
l59 A.2d 69? (In. l960) .................................................................... ?
vI
@% $& N,$$.,F& O,<&<,
l83 I.3d 384 (CnI. 2008) ................................................................. 39
N,<<,KDH<&""< =5 P%."&+ 8","&< *&?,$"B&%" #) S&,/"D U SHB,%
8&$=.K&<, 682 I.3d l (lsf CIr. 20l2) .............................. l5, 2l, 29, 3?
N,"KD.% =5 N,"KD.%,
6 In. 332 (l84?) ................................................................................. ?
N,"D&>< =5 *.,T,
426 !.S. 6? (l9?6) ........................................................................... 22
N,'%,$+ =5 S.//,
l25 !.S. l90 (l888) ........................................................................... ?
6FH'&% =5 @BB.F$,".#% 6,"H$,/.T,".#% 8&$=.K&<,
533 !.S. 53 (200l) ........................................................................... 40
-&+&$<&% =5 9)).K& #) -&$<#%%&/ N,%,F&B&%",
88l I. Su. 2d 294 (. Conn. 20l2) .............................................. l6
-$#=.+&%" C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<" O#5 =5 -,""&$<#%,
390 !.S. l02 (l968) ............................................................. 45, 46, 4?
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553 !.S. 85l (2008) ......................................................................... 45
3#+$.FH&T +& MH.V,< =5 8D&,$<#%W!B&$.K,% 2A?$&<<L @%K5,
490 !.S. 4?? (l989) ......................................................................... l6
3#B&$ =5 2=,%<,
5l? !.S. 620 (l996) ................................................................. ?,<<.B
3',% =5 8?&K"&$,
332 I. Su. 26 (I.. In. l9?l) ...................................................... 48
8KD>&.:&$ =5 ;./<#%,
450 !.S. 22l (l98l) ......................................................................... 22
vII
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58 !.S. (l? How.) l30, l5 !.Id. l58 (l854) ................................... 44
8.%F&$ = S,$,,
522 I.2d ll8? (Wnsh. Cf. A. l9?4) ............................................. 39
8:.%%&$ =5 9:/,D#B, &A $&/5 ;.//.,B<#%,
3l6 !.S. 535 (l942) ........................................................................... ?
8B&/" =5 O#H%"' #) 9$,%F&,
3?4 I. Su. 2d 86l (C.. CnI. 2005) ....................................... l6, 39
8#<%, =5 @#>,,
4l9 !.S. 393 (l9?5) ......................................................................... 2?
8"&&/ 4,//&' !H"D#$."' =5 P%.#% 8>."KD U 8.F%,/ *.=.<.#%,
809 I.2d l006 (3d CIr. l98?) ............................................... 44, 46, 5l
CH$%&$ =5 8,)/&',
482 !.S. ?8 (l98?) ........................................................................... 43
P%."&+ 8","&< &A $&/5 7,>$&%K& =5 ;##+<,
432 I.2d l0?2 (?fh CIr. l9?0) ......................................................... 48
P%."&+ 8","&< =5 ;.%+<#$,
l33 S. Cf. 26?5 (20l3) ............................................................. ?,<<.B
P%."&+ 8","&< *&?,$"B&%" #) !F$.KH/"H$& =5 N#$&%#,
4l3 !.S. 528 (l9?3) ................................................................... 20, 24
4,%K& =5 0$,+/&',
440 !.S. 93 (l9?9) ........................................................................... 2l
4.//,F& #) !$/.%F"#% S&.FD"< =5 N&"$#?#/.",% S#H<.%F *&=&/#?B&%"
O#$?5, 429 !.S. 252 (l9??) .............................................................. 4?
4.//,F& #) 0&//& C&$$& =5 0#$,,<,
4l6 !.S. l (l9?4) ............................................................................. 22
vIII
;,<D.%F"#% =5 Q/HK:<G&$F,
52l !.S. ?02 (l99?) ......................................................................... 4l
;.//.,B< =5 6#$"D O,$#/.%,,
3l? !.S. 28? (l942) ........................................................................... ?
;./<#% =5 !:&,
354 I. Su. 2d l298 (M.. IIn. 2005) ........................................... 39
;.%+<#$ =5 P%."&+ 8","&<,
699 I.3d l69 (2d CIr. 20l2) ............................................................. l5
X,G/#K:. =5 3&+D,./,
434 !.S. 3?4 (l9?8) ..................................................................... ?, 43
!%&#'(')'(%&#* !%,$#* -'"')'$# . /)0$#B

IodornI !uIos of CIvII Irocoduro, !uIo l2..................................... 3, 44, 5l
IodornI !uIos of CIvII Irocoduro, !uIo l9............................................... 44
IodornI !uIos of CIvII Irocoduro, !uIo 23............................................... 46
HnwnII ConsfIfufIon nrfIcIo I, 23 .......................................................... 39
l8 In. Cons. Sfnf. 3l24 .......................................................................... 26
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. ll02 .......................................................................... l0
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. l304 ............................................................................ 9
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. l?04 ...................................................................... l, ll
42 !.S.C.A. 2000o(k) (Wosf 20l3) ......................................................... 40
1'2$3 4)'2%3('($#B

l SIr Arfhur Connn oyIo, 8./=&$ 0/,T&, .% CD& O#B?/&"& 8D&$/#K:
S#/B&< 4l3 (2003) ........................................................................... 2l
Ix
nvId Humo, !% 2%YH.$' O#%K&$%.%F "D& -$.%K.?/&< #) N#$,/<, .%
2<<,'< ,%+ C$&,".<&< #% 8&=&$,/ 8HGV&K"< (!ondon, MIIInr
l?58) ................................................................................................... 6
JurIsdIcfIonnI Sfnfomonf, 0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%, 409 !.S. 8l0 (l9?2)
(o. ?l-l02?) .................................................................................... l3
2 John !ocko, 8&K#%+ C$&,".<& #) Q#=&$%B&%"I 9) O.=./
Q#=&$%B&%", .% CD& ;#$:< #) R#D% 7#K:& 2<Y5 (!ondon,
ChurchIII l?l4) ............................................................................ 6, l8
InuI A. !ombnrdo, N.<K&F&%,".#%L 2HF&%.K<L ,%+ 3,K.<BI
S.<"#$.K,/ E##"%#"&< "# !ovIng v. VIrgInIn, 2l !.C. nvIs !.
!ov. 42l (l988) ................................................................................ 42
AIoxnndor Wood !Infon nnd Coorgo CronvIIIo IhIIIImoro, CD&
O#B?,$,".=& 7,> #) N,$$.,F& ,%+ *.=#$K& l42 (Swoof &
MnxwoII l9l0) ................................................................................. 42
IrvIng C. Trngon, 8","H"#$' -$#D.G.".#%< ,F,.%<" @%"&$$,K.,/
N,$$.,go, 32 CnI. !. !ov. 269 (l944) ............................................. 42
2 onh Wobsfor, !% !B&$.K,% *.K".#%,$' #) "D& 2%F/.<D 7,%FH,F&
(lsf od. l828) ...................................................................................... 6

Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l Filed l0/07/l3 Page l0 of 66
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1+-,&('+*/ %!)$-+2 C )$*$&.&"$ -0 0*,$)
IInInfIffs nIIogo fhnf IonnsyIvnnIn`s mnrrIngo Inws vIoInfo fho
l4fh Amondmonf. IInInfIffs sook docInrnfory nnd InjuncfIvo roIIof
ngnInsf fho CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws.
AII InInfIffs cInIm fhoy nro hnrmod by fho sfrong nnd
IongsfnndIng ubIIc oIIcy of fhIs CommonwonIfh fhnf mnrrIngo shnII
bo bofwoon ono mnn nnd ono womnn. 23 In. Cons. Sfnf. l?04.
Somo InInfIffsfhoso who hnvo mnrrIngo IIconsos from ofhor
jurIsdIcfIonscInIm fhoy nro nIso hnrmod bocnuso |n] mnrrIngo
bofwoon orsons of fho snmo sox whIch wns onforod Info In nnofhor
sfnfo or foroIgn jurIsdIcfIon, ovon If vnIId whoro onforod Info, shnII bo
voId In fhIs CommonwonIfh. @+.
IInInfIffs sook: (l) n docInrnfory judgmonf fhnf fho
CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws vIoInfo fho uo Irocoss nnd IqunI
IrofocfIon CInusos of fho Iourfoonfh Amondmonf; (2) fo onjoIn fho
dofondnnfs from comIyIng wIfh fho mnrrI ngo Inws; nnd (3) fho
cosfs of suIf, IncIudIng ronsonnbIo nffornoys` foos. ComI. nf 50-5l.
ofondnnf IofrIIIo confonds fhnf InInfIffs` oqunI rofocfIon nnd
duo rocoss nIIognfIons shouId bo dIsmIssod for wnnf of n subsfnnfInI
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l Filed l0/07/l3 Page ll of 66
2
fodornI quosfIon. IonnsyIvnnIn ossossos fho nufhorIfy fo dofIno fho
mnrIfnI roInfIon, nnd no nrfIcuInr gondorIoss dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo Is
mnndnfod by fho ConsfIfufIon. Snmo-sox mnrrIngo Is noIfhor
objocfIvoIy nor dooIy roofod In oIfhor IonnsyIvnnIn`s or our nfIon`s
hIsfory nnd frndIfIon. Tho CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws ossoss
muIfIIo rnfIonnI bnsos nnd, fhus, survIvo fho scrufIny nIIcnbIo fo
InInfIffs` cInIms. IInInfIffs nIso fnIIod fo joIn nII nocossnry nrfIos fo
fhIs ncfIon.
D'&)$!-") !"3-/3&(
I. Whofhor fho Suromo Courf`s Irocodonf In 0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%
IorocIosos IInInfIffs` CInIms.

II. Whofhor IonnsyIvnnIn`s !ongsfnndIng ofInIfIon of MnrrIngo
Comorfs wIfh IqunI IrofocfIon Iocnuso If !nfIonnIIy !ofIocfs
fho Sfnfo`s !nondIng SovoroIgn Inforosf In SuorfIng nnd
SusfnInIng IIoIogIcnI InmIIIos.

III. Whofhor fho omosfIc !oInfIons !nw Is !oofod In Oufmodod
Condor Sforoofyos, nnd Thus Sox IscrImInnfIon.

IV. Whofhor Thoro Is n SubsfnnfIvo uo Irocoss IundnmonfnI !Ighf
fo Mnrry n Iorson of Ono`s Own Sox.

V. Whofhor IInInfIffs` ComInInf ShouId Io IsmIssod for InIIuro fo
JoIn ocossnry InrfIos !ndor !uIo l9.

3
!"$+-(',$!-"
Tho CommonwonIfh of IonnsyIvnnIn doos nof vIoInfo fho
ConsfIfufIon by rofnInIng fho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngofho
onIy ono fho CommonwonIfh hns ovor known. Thus, undor !uIo
l2(b)(6), InInfIffs` onfIro suIf musf bo dIsmIssod for fnIIuro fo sfnfo n
cInIm uon whIch roIIof cnn bo grnnfod. As n mnffor of Inw, InInfIffs`
cInIms confIIcf wIfh soffIod Suromo Courf rocodonf. In 0,:&$ =5
6&/<#%, 409 !.S. 8l0 (l9?2), fho Courf rojocfod fho oxncf snmo duo
rocoss nnd oqunI rofocfIon cInIms, nnd Iowor courfs musf foIIow fhnf
bIndIng rocodonf.
In nddIfIon fo 0,:&$, IonnsyIvnnIn doos nof vIoInfo oqunI
rofocfIon by confInuIng fo nIy Ifs confurIos-oId dofInIfIon of
mnrrIngo. Tho CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws nro subjocf fo rnfIonnI
bnsIs rovIow, fho snmo IovoI of scrufIny nIIod by fho Suromo Courf
In 3#B&$ =5 2=,%<, 5l? !.S. 620, 63l-32 (l996), nnd P%."&+ 8","&< =5
;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. 26?5, 2693 (20l3). Thoso rocodonfs focus on fwo
nrfIcuInr sIgnnIs fhnf n Inw Is mofIvnfod soIoIy by nnImus nnd fhus
IrrnfIonnI: (l) ono fhnf cronfos n novoI dIsnbIIIfy, nnd (2) ono fhnf
Infrudos Info Sfnfos` or IocnIIfIos` frndIfIonnI sovoroIgnfy. Iofh fncfors
4
cuf .% ),=#$ #) IonnsyIvnnIn`s dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo, whIch wns fIrsf
ndofod Iong boforo modorn confrovorsIos nnd Is onfIroIy consIsfonf
wIfh fodornIIsm nnd fho CommonwonIfh`s frndIfIonnI confroI of
domosfIc roInfIons. ;.%+<#$`s oxIIcIf doforonco sfrongIy suorfs fho
CommonwonIfh`s domosfIc roInfIons Inws.
Tho domosfIc roInfIons Inws nro rnfIonnIIy roInfod fo ImmufnbIo
roroducfIvo dIfforoncos bofwoon oosIfo-sox nnd snmo-sox couIos.
!nInnnod offsrIng nro common fo oosIfo-sox couIos, nnd onIy fhoy
cnn ronr chIIdron by bofh of fhoIr bIoIogIcnI nronfs. And onIy fhoy cnn
gIvo onch chIId n nronf of fho chIId`s own sox. IonnsyIvnnIn hns fhus
rnfIonnIIy choson fo rosorvo <#B& of Ifs suorf nnd subsIdIos for
frndIfIonnI mnrrIngos. Tho mnrrIngo Inws noIfhor forbId nor onnIIzo
snmo-sox couIos nnd Ionvo fhom froo fo sfrucfuro fhoIr IIvos, ns
InInfIffs hnvo nIrondy dono. And IonnsyIvnnIn Inw, ns n whoIo, mnkos
nvnIInbIo fo nII couIos n hosf of IognI rIghfs nnd rofocfIons fo socuro
fhoso roInfIonshIs. Irom fho ownorshI nnd nssngo of roorfy, fo
modIcnI cnro nnd hosIfnI vIsIfnfIon, IonnsyIvnnIn Inw doos nof InhIbIf
couIos` nbIIIfy fo socuro nnd ordor fhoIr IIvos.
5
or Is IonnsyIvnnIn`s dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo subjocf fo hoIghfonod
scrufIny. Tho Suromo Courf`s cnsos roInfIng fo soxunI orIonfnfIon hnvo
roonfodIy docIInod fo nIy hoIghfonod scrufIny, mnInfnInIng onIy n
soIocf fow cnfogorIos fhnf frIggor sfrIcf or InformodInfo scrufIny. or Is
fho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo n cInssIfIcnfIon bnsod on sox, ns
bofh soxos nro oqunIIy froo fo mnrry fho oosIfo sox.
IInnIIy, fho rIghf fo snmo-sox mnrrIngo nssorfod by InInfIffs Is
nof n fundnmonfnI rIghf ns If Is nof dooIy roofod In fhIs nfIon`s
hIsfory nnd frndIfIon. And fho CommonwonIfh`s IongsfnndIng domosfIc
roInfIons Inws cnnnof bo roInforrofod ns novoI dIsnbIIIfIos whoso onIy
ossIbIo oxInnnfIon Is nnImus ngnInsf rIvnfo soxunI conducf. On fho
confrnry, fho IongsfnndIng sfrucfuro of fho mnrrIngo Inws fIows from
fho ubIIc`s rofound Inforosf In suorfIng bIoIogIcnI rocronfIon nnd
rofocfIng unInnnod offsrIng. Though InInfIffs Imufo nn III mofIvo
fo n confurIos-oId bonovoIonf oIIcy, fhoy cnnnof succossfuIIy consfrucf n
consfIfufIonnI InfIrmIfy.
5*,E6+-'"(
Ior counfIoss confurIos, mnrrIngo hns roquIrod bofh soxos
unIfIng n mnn nnd n womnn ns husbnnd nnd wIfo fo bo fnfhor nnd
6
mofhor fo nny chIIdron fhoy roduco. As nvId Humo oxInInod, "|f]ho
Iong nnd hoIIoss Infnncy of mnn roquIros fho combInnfIon of nronfs
for fho subsIsfonco of fhoIr young." nvId Humo, !% 2%YH.$'
O#%K&$%.%F "D& -$.%K.?/&< #) N#$,/<, In Issnys nnd TronfIsos on SovornI
Subjocfs 42l (!ondon, MIIInr l?58). John !ocko IIkowIso undorsfood
mnrrIngo ns mndo by n voIunfnry Comncf bofwoon Mnn nnd Womnn;
nnd fho` . . . Ifs chIof Ind, |Is] IrocronfIon; yof If drnws wIfh If mufunI
Suorf nnd AssIsfnnco, nnd n CommunIon of Inforosfs foo, ns
nocossnry nof onIy fo unIfo fhoIr Cnro nnd AffocfIon, buf nIso nocossnry
fo fhoIr common Off-srIng, who hnvo n !Ighf fo bo nourIshod, nnd
mnInfnInod by fhom, fIII fhoy nro nbIo fo rovIdo for fhomsoIvos. 2
John !ocko, 8&K#%+ C$&,".<& #) Q#=&$%B&%"I 9) O.=./ Q#=&$%B&%" ?8,
.% CD& ;#$:< #) R#D% 7#K:& 2<Y5 l80 (!ondon, ChurchIII l?l4). onh
Wobsfor dofInod mnrrIngo ns |f]ho ncf of unIfIng n mnn nnd womnn for
IIfo; wodIock; fho IognI unIon of n mnn nnd womnn for IIfo, whIch Is
dosIgnod for socurIng fho mnInfonnnco nnd oducnfIon of chIIdron. 2
onh Wobsfor, !% !B&$.K,% *.K".#%,$' #) "D& 2%F/.<D 7,%FH,F& (lsf
od. l828).
?
MnrrIngo Is synonymous wIfh nn oosIfo-sox nIr who nnfurnIIy
forms n rocronfIvo unIon. As fho Suromo Courf nofod Iong ngo,
mnrrIngo Is fho foundnfIon of fho fnmIIy nnd of socIofy, wIfhouf whIch
fhoro wouId bo noIfhor cIvIIIznfIon nor rogross. N,'%,$+ =5 S.//, l25
!.S. l90, 2ll (l888). If Is nn InsfIfufIon moro bnsIc In our cIvIIIznfIon
fhnn nny ofhor. ;.//.,B< =5 6#$"D O,$#/.%,, 3l? !.S. 28?, 303 (l942).
And bocnuso If Is sfrucfurod for fho rocronfIon nnd rofocfIon of
offsrIng, If Is fundnmonfnI fo fho vory oxIsfonco nnd survIvnI of fho
|humnn] rnco. X,G/#K:. =5 3&+D,./, 434 !.S. 3?4, 384 (l9?8) (quofIng
8:.%%&$ =5 9:/,D#B, &A $&/5 ;.//.,B<#%, 3l6 !.S. 535, 54l (l942)).
Tho dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo hns boon oqunIIy soffIod In fhIs
CommonwonIfh. MnrrIngo In IonnsyIvnnIn Is n cIvII confrncf by whIch
n mnn nnd n womnn fnko onch ofhor for husbnnd nnd wIfo. @% $& 2<","&
#) N,%)$&+., l59 A.2d 69?, ?00 (In. l960). Tho gronf ond of mnfrImony
Is nof fho comforf nnd convonIonco of fho ImmodInfo nrfIos . . . |buf]
fho rocronfIon nnd rofocfIon of IogIfImnfo chIIdron, fho InsfIfufIon of
fnmIIIos, nnd fho cronfIon of nnfurnI roInfIons nmong mnnkInd; from
whIch rocood nII fho cIvIIIznfIon, vIrfuo, nnd hnInoss fo bo found In
fho worId. N,"KD.% =5 N,"KD.%, 6 In. 332, 33? (l84?).
8
In ordor fo rofocf offsrIng nnd sfrongfhon fnmIIIos,
IonnsyIvnnIn hns Iong roguInfod who cnn mnrry nnd on whnf forms.
MnrrIngo, ns cronfIng fho mosf Imorfnnf roInfIon In IIfo, ns
hnvIng moro fo do wIfh fho mornIs nnd cIvIIIznfIon of n
ooIo fhnn nny ofhor InsfIfufIon, hns nIwnys boon subjocf fo
fho confroI of fho IogIsInfuro. Thnf body roscrIbos fho ngo nf
whIch nrfIos mny confrncf fo mnrry, fho rocoduro or form
ossonfInI fo consfIfufo mnrrIngo, fho dufIos nnd obIIgnfIons If
cronfos, Ifs offocfs uon fho roorfy rIghfs of bofh, rosonf
nnd rosocfIvo, nnd fho ncfs whIch mny consfIfufo grounds
for Ifs dIssoIufIon.
0,KKD&"", =5 0,KKD&"",, 445 A.2d ll94, ll9? (In. l982) (InfornnI
quofnfIon mnrks nnd cIfnfIon omIffod). Tho roInfIon IfsoIf Is foundod In
nnfuro, nnd IIko ofhor nnfurnI rIghfs of orsons, bocomos n subjocf of
roguInfIon for fho good of socIofy. Tho socInI fnbrIc Is ronrod uon If, for
wIfhouf roorIy roguInfod mnrrIngo, fho woIfnro, ordor nnd hnInoss
of fho sfnfo cnnnof bo mnInfnInod. O$#%.<& =5 O$#%.<&, 54 In. 255, 262
(l86?).
Thus, fho dozons of IonnsyIvnnIn mnrrIngo Inws fhnf fho
InInfIffs chnIIongo, nnd cnsos InforrofIng fhom, rofor fo fho mnrrIod
couIo ns n husbnnd nnd n wIfo. 8&& IxhIbIf A (non-oxhnusfIvo IIsfIng
of mnny such sfnfufos). Ior Insfnnco, fho consnnguInIfy Inw socIfIos:
A mnn mny nof mnrry hIs mofhor|,] . . . . fho sIsfor of hIs fnfhor|,] . . . .
9
fho sIsfor of hIs mofhor|,] . . . . hIs sIsfor|,] . . . . hIs dnughfor|,] . . . . fho
dnughfor of hIs son or dnughfor|,] . . . |or] hIs fIrsf cousIn. 23 In. Cons.
Sfnf. l304 (o) (codIfyIng l990 In. !ogIs. Sorv. l990-206 (Wosf), whIch
suorsodod Acf of Juno 24, l90l, I.!. 59?). !IkowIso, A womnn mny
nof mnrry hor fnfhor|,] . . . . fho brofhor of hor fnfhor|,] . . . . hor
brofhor|,] . . . . hor son|,] . . . . fho son of hor son or dnughfor|,] . . . . |or]
hor fIrsf cousIn. @+5
Thus, whon n mnn rnIsod fho novoI cInIm of n snmo-sox common-
Inw mnrrIngo fo nnofhor mnn n moro fow docndos ngo, fho courf In *&
8,%"# =5 0,$%</&' ronsonod fhnf fho Inforonco fhnf mnrrIngo Is so
IImIfod |fo oosIfo-sox couIos] Is sfrong. 4?6 A.2d 952, 954 (In.
Suor. Cf. l984). Tho MnrrIngo !nw rofors fo fho 'mnIo nnd fomnIo
nIIcnnf,` 48 I.S. l-3, nnd fho cnsos nssumo orsons of oosIfo sox.
@+5 If wns boyond dIsufo fhnf common Inw mnrrIngo hns boon
rognrdod ns n roInfIonshI fhnf cnn bo osfnbIIshod onIy bofwoon fwo
orsons of oosIfo sox. @+5 Tho snmo wns fruo of sfnfufory mnrrIngos.
|W]o hnvo no doubf fhnf undor |IonnsyIvnnIn`s] MnrrIngo !nw If Is
ImossIbIo for fwo orsons of fho snmo sox fo obfnIn n mnrrIngo IIconso.
@+5 nf 955-56.
l0
!nfII vory roconfIy, fho dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo wns onfIroIy
unconfrovorsInI. And bocnuso fho CommonwonIfh`s urosos for
mnrrIngo romnIn consfnnf, IonnsyIvnnIn hns nof soughf fo frnnsform
Ifs mnrrIngo Inws, or ndof fho oIIcy romIsos of ofhor jurIsdIcfIons.
Tho rodofInIfIon of mnrrIngo novor bocnmo n sorIous oInf of dIscussIon
unfII fho HnwnIÌ Suromo Courf suggosfod fho ossIbIIIfy In l993. 8&&
0,&D$ =5 7&>.%, 852 I.2d 44, 68 (Hnw.), $&K#%<.+&$,".#% F$,%"&+ .% ?,$",
8?5 I.2d 225 (Hnw. l993). If hns boon n oInf of ubIIc dIscussIon for
Ioss fhnn n gonornfIonyof InInfIffs InsIsf fhIs novoIfy Is now
omboddod In our counfry`s foundIng documonf.
Onco HnwnIÌ rnIsod fho Issuo, IonnsyIvnnIn joInod fho nnfIonnI
dIscussIon on fho monnIng nnd dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo. !nIIko ofhor
Sfnfos fhnf oIocfod fo ombod fho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo In
fhoIr Sfnfo consfIfufIons, IonnsyIvnnIn choso fo nffIrm Ifs ondurIng
uroso for Ifs mnrrIngo Inws onIy In Ifs sfnfufos, IonvIng fufuro cIfIzons
nnd IogIsInfuros froo fo rovIsIf fho quosfIon, If fhoy choso. Tho Inw ro-
codIfIod IonnsyIvnnIn`s IongsfnndIng nronch fo mnrrIngo ns n cIvII
confrncf by whIch ono mnn nnd ono womnn fnko onch ofhor for husbnnd
nnd wIfo. 23 In. Cons. Sfnf. ll02.
ll
Tho Inw nIso socIfIod fho comIfy IonnsyIvnnIn wouId oxfond fo
fho IIconsIng docIsIons of ofhor SfnfoshnrdIy n novoI concof. !Iko
ovory ofhor Sfnfo, IonnsyIvnnIn roufInoIy cInrIfIos fho oxfonf fo whIch
If wIII rocognIzo ofhor Sfnfos` IIconsos, rnngIng from IIconsos fo cnrry
wonons fo rofossIonnI IIconsos for docfors, Inwyors, nnd ofhors. As wo
know, for oxnmIo, Inwyors who nro nof mombors of fho IonnsyIvnnIn
Inr cnnnof uso n foroIgn IIconso fo nssorf n rIghf fo rncfIco Inw wIfhIn
fho CommonwonIfh. Iuf fhnf Is rocIsoIy whnf somo InInfIffs nro
doIng wIfh mnrrIngo IIconsos, ovon fhough fhoy nro IonnsyIvnnIn
domIcIIInrIos. ComI. 39, 80, 8?. To nvoId fho cIrcumvonfIon of Ifs
IIconsIng offorfs, fho mnrrIngo Inws IdonfIfy fho qunrfor fhnf shnII bo
gIvon fo corfnIn IIconsos, ns If doos In so mnny ofhor nronns. 23 In.
Cons. Sfnf. l?04.
*+6'.&"$
!9 $FG )HIJGKG ,LHJM8N 1JGOGPGQM RQ 5"6$3 78 9$0#%&
0LJGOSLNGN 1STRQMRUUN8 ,STRKN9

*9 5"6$3 +GVGOMGP MFG 1JGORNG ,STRKN +TRNGP %GJG9
IIndIng Suromo Courf rocodonf forocIosos InInfIffs` duo
rocoss nnd oqunI rofocfIon chnIIongos. 0,:&$ =5 6&/<#% dIsmIssod n
chnIIongo fo mnrrIngo Inws ns nof rosonfIng n subsfnnfInI
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l Filed l0/07/l3 Page 2l of 66
l2
consfIfufIonnI quosfIon. In 0,:&$, fho Suromo Courf hoId fhnf noIfhor
fho uo Irocoss nor fho IqunI IrofocfIon CInusos of fho Iourfoonfh
Amondmonf forbndo n Sfnfo fo mnInfnIn Ifs mnrrIngo Inws.
In 0,:&$, n counfy cIork donIod n mnrrIngo IIconso fo fwo mon
bocnuso fhoIr nIIcnfIon dId nof snfIsfy MInnosofn`s oosIfo-sox
roquIromonf. 0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%, l9l .W.2d l85, l85 (MInn. l9?l) (on
bnnc). Tho mon chnIIongod fho donInI, nnd fho frInI courf rojocfod fhoIr
cInIms. @+5 nf l85, l86.
Tho MInnosofn Suromo Courf nffIrmod. @+5 If hoId fhnf fhoro Is
no fundnmonfnI rIghf fo mnrry somoono of ono`s own sox; fhnf fho
frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo works no IrrnfIonnI or InvIdIous
dIscrImInnfIon; nnd fhnf If onsIIy survIvos rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow. @+5 nf
l86-8?. Tho Courf rojocfod InInfIffs` nnnIogy fo 7#=.%F =5 4.$F.%.,, 388
!.S. l, l2 (l96?), nofIng n cIonr dIsfIncfIon bofwoon nnfI-
mIscogonnfIon rosfrIcfIons nnd fho fundnmonfnI dIfforonco In sox. l9l
.W.2d nf l8?.
Tho mon`s nonI fo fho Suromo Courf rosonfod fhroo
quosfIons: (l) whofhor fhnf donInI dorIvos noIInnfs of fhoIr IIborfy
fo mnrry nnd of fhoIr roorfy wIfhouf duo rocoss of Inw undor fho
l3
Iourfoonfh Amondmonf; (2) whofhor If vIoInfos fhoIr rIghfs undor fho
oqunI rofocfIon cInuso of fho Iourfoonfh Amondmonf; nnd (3) whofhor
If dorIvos noIInnfs of fhoIr rIghf fo rIvncy undor fho Infh nnd
Iourfoonfh Amondmonfs. JurIsdIcfIonnI Sfnfomonf nf 3, 0,:&$ =5
6&/<#%, 409 !.S. 8l0 (l9?2) (o. ?l-l02?) (nffnchod ns IxhIbIf I).
ThoIr brIof nnnIogIzod fho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo fo fho
mIscogonnfIon sfnfufo In 7#=.%F. @+5 nf l3-l6; <&& ,/<# .+5 nf ll, l8 n.5,
l9. And fhoy nskod fho Courf fo nIy hoIghfonod scrufIny. @+5 nf l4-
l8.
Tho Suromo Courf dIsmIssod fho nonI. Ifs fuII ruIIng sfnfos:
Tho nonI Is dIsmIssod for wnnf of n subsfnnfInI fodornI quosfIon.
0,:&$, 409 !.S. 8l0. of ono JusfIco rocordod n dIssonf. ThIs ruIIng on
fho morIfs osfnbIIshos fhnf noIfhor fho uo Irocoss nor fho IqunI
IrofocfIon CInuso bnrs sfnfos from mnInfnInIng mnrrIngo ns n mnn nnd
n womnn. If nIso dIsoIs nny nrgumonf fhnf fho rosuIf soughf In fhIs
mnffor Is comoIIod, In nrf or In whoIo, by 7#=.%F. Ior If cnnnof bo
confondod fhnf whoro InInfIffs` cInIms horoIn woro dIsmIssod by fho
Suromo Courf onIy 5 yonrs nffor fho 7#=.%F cnso wns docIdod, fhnf
7#=.%F somohow now suorfs fhoso snmo cInIms.
l4
59 5"6$3 !N 5RQPRQW 1JGOGPGQM9
0,:&$ bInds fhIs Courf nnd Is dIsosIfIvo of fhIs cnso. Summnry
dIsmIssnIs for wnnf of n subsfnnfInI fodornI quosfIon nro ruIIngs on fho
morIfs, nnd Iowor courfs nro nof froo fo dIsrognrd fh|oso]
ronouncomonf|s]. S.K:< =5 N.$,%+,, 422 !.S. 332, 343-45 (l9?5).
|T]ho Iowor courfs nro bound by summnry docIsIons by fhIs Courf unfII
such fImo ns fho Courf Informs (fhom) fhnf (fhoy) nro nof. @+5 nf 344-
45 (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks omIffod; Inffor fwo nIfornfIons In orIgInnI).
WhIIo Iowor courfs nood nof foIIow nII fho ronsonIng of fho onrIIor Iowor
courf`s oInIon, summnry dIsmIssnIs do rovonf Iowor courfs from
comIng fo oosIfo concIusIons on fho rocIso Issuos rosonfod nnd
nocossnrIIy docIdod by fho dIsmIssnI. N,%+&/ =5 0$,+/&', 432 !.S. l?3,
l?6 (l9??) (or curInm). Thus, fhIs Courf mny nof rocognIzo n duo
rocoss or oqunI rofocfIon rIghf fo snmo-sox mnrrIngo, bocnuso 0,:&$
rojocfod fhoso vory cInIms.
,9 5"6$3 ,LQMRQHGN ML 5RQP /LXGJ ,LHJMN *UMGJ :(&,#%39
Though InInfIffs roIy uon ;.%+<#$ fo jusfIfy fhoIr cInImod rIghf,
ComI. l43, ;.%+<#$ oxrossIy rofusod fo quosfIon fho confInuIng
vnIIdIfy of fho sfnfos` frndIfIonnI mnrrIngo Inws. ThIs oInIon nnd Ifs
l5
hoIdIng nro confInod fo fhoso snmo-sox mnrrIngos mndo InwfuI by fho
Sfnfo. l33 S. Cf. nf 2695-96. ofo fho Courf`s cnrofuI wordIng: G#"D
;.%+<#$`s hoIdIng ,%+ Ifs oInIon`s ronsonIng nIy onIy fo fho )&+&$,/
F#=&$%B&%"J< rocognIfIon of mnrrIngos fhnf Sfnfos KD##<& fo rocognIzo.
Tho quosfIon rosonfod In ;.%+<#$ wns onIy fho vnIIdIfy of
SocfIon 3 of fho fodornI ofonso of MnrrIngo Acf (OMA). Tho unusunI
chnrncfor of SocfIon 3 wns Ifs unusunI dovInfIon from fho usunI
frndIfIon of |fho fodornI govornmonf`s] rocognIzIng nnd nccofIng sfnfo
dofInIfIons of mnrrIngo . . . . ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2693. Thnf
quosfIon dIffors from fho onos In 0,:&$: 0,:&$ uhoId n <","& Inw
dofInIng mnrrIngo, whorons ;.%+<#$ sfruck down n )&+&$,/ Inw
ImIngIng fho Sfnfos` rorognfIvo fo dofIno mnrrIngo. Thus, fho
ovorwhoImIng mnjorIfy of courfs found 0,:&$ InnIIcnbIo fo OMA.
As Judgo IoudIn uf If for fho IIrsf CIrcuIf: 0,:&$ doos nof rosoIvo our
own cnso buf If doos IImIf fho nrgumonfs fo onos fhnf do nof rosumo or
rosf on n consfIfufIonnI rIghf fo snmo-sox mnrrIngo. N,<<,KDH<&""< =5
P585 *&?J" #) S&,/"D U SHB,% 8&$=<5, 682 I.3d l, 8 (lsf CIr. 20l2); <&&
,/<#L &5F5, ;.%+<#$ =5 P%."&+ 8","&<, 699 I.3d l69, l?8 (2d CIr. 20l2)
(Tho quosfIon |rognrdIng . . .] SocfIon 3 of OMA Is suffIcIonfIy dIsfIncf
l6
from fho quosfIon In 0,:&$: whofhor snmo-sox mnrrIngo mny bo
consfIfufIonnIIy rosfrIcfod by fho <","&<.), ,))J+, l33 S. Cf. 26?5 (20l3);
-&+&$<&% =5 9)).K& #) -&$<5 NFB"5, 88l I. Su. 2d 294, 308 (. Conn.
20l2) (0,:&$ Is cIonrIy unroInfod); *$,F#=.KD =5 P585 *&?J" #) C$&,<H$',
8?2 I. Su. 2d 944, 952 (.. CnI. 20l2) (sImIInr); Q#/.%<:. =5 P585
9)).K& #) -&$<5 NFB"5, 824 I. Su. 2d 968, 982 n.5 (.. CnI. 20l2)
(sImIInr); 8B&/" =5 O%"'5 #) 9$,%F&, 3?4 I. Su. 2d 86l, 8?3 (C.. CnI.
2005) (sImIInr), ,))J+ .% ?,$"L =,K,"&+ .% ?,$" #% #"D&$ F$#H%+<L ,%+
$&B,%+&+, 44? I.3d 6?3 (9fh CIr. 2006). Iocnuso fho fwo cnsos
nddrossod dIfforonf quosfIons, ;.%+<#$ doos nof dIsInco 0,:&$.
or cnn ;.%+<#$ or ofhor cnsos bo oxfondod fo nvoId fho Suromo
Courf`s hoIdIng In 0,:&$. 'If n rocodonf of fh|o Suromo] Courf hns
dIrocf nIIcnfIon In n cnso, yof nonrs fo rosf on ronsons rojocfod In
somo ofhor IIno of docIsIons, fho |Iowor courf] shouId foIIow fho cnso
whIch dIrocfIy confroIs, IonvIng fo fh|o Suromo] Courf fho rorognfIvo
of ovorruIIng Ifs own docIsIons.` !F#<".%. =5 E&/"#%, 52l !.S. 203, 23?-
38 (l99?) (quofIng wIfh nrovnI 3#+$.FH&T +& MH.V,< =5 8D&,$<#%W!B5
2A?$&<<L @%K5, 490 !.S. 4??, 484 (l989)). 0,:&$ rosoIvos fhIs cnso.
l?
!!9 1GQQNYSZTQRT8N /LQWNMTQPRQW (GURQRMRLQ LU .TJJRTWG
,LKILJMN XRMF &[HTS 1JLMGOMRLQ 5GOTHNG !M +TMRLQTSSY
+GUSGOMN MFG )MTMG8N 'QGQPRQW )LZGJGRWQ !QMGJGNM RQ
)HIILJMRQW TQP )HNMTRQRQW 5RLSLWROTS 0TKRSRGN9
Ivon nnrf from 0,:&$, IonnsyIvnnIn`s domosfIc roInfIons Inws
onsIIy survIvo oqunI rofocfIon nnnIysIs. IInInfIffs nsk fhIs Courf fo
nIy nf Ionsf InformodInfo scrufIny fo fhIs Inw nnd offor fo Infroduco
ovIdonco |fhnf] wIII show fhnf cInssIfIcnfIons bnsod on soxunI
orIonfnfIon domnnd hoIghfonod scrufIny. ComI. l45. Tho
nrorInfo fIor of oqunI rofocfIon rovIow Is nof, howovor, subjocf fo
fho vngnrIos of dIscovory nnd roof; If Is nIrondy osfnbIIshod ns n mnffor
of Inw. Tho Suromo Courf hns roonfodIy nIIod onIy rnfIonnI bnsIs
rovIow fo such cInssIfIcnfIons.
In docIdIng whofhor such cInssIfIcnfIons nro mofIvnfod soIoIy by
nnImus nnd fhus Inck nny rnfIonnI bnsIs, fho Courf focusos on whofhor
fhoy (l) cronfo novoI dIsnbIIIfIos, or (2) Infrudo uon Sfnfos` or IocnIIfIos`
frndIfIonnI shoros. Horo, bofh fncfors sfrongIy suorf IonnsyIvnnIn`s
dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo: If hns boon foIIowod for confurIos sInco Ifs
foundIng nnd Iong boforo nny modorn confrovorsy, nnd If Is consIsfonf
wIfh fho CommonwonIfh`s sovoroIgnfy ovor domosfIc roInfIons.
l8
Iocnuso fho cInssIfIcnfIon Is IongsfnndIng nnd consIsfonf wIfh
sfnfo confroI of domosfIc roInfIons, rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow Is onsIIy
snfIsfIod horo. TrndIfIonnI mnrrIngo rovIdos for fho mnny couIos
whoso offsrIng Is unInnnod, nnd suorfs nII bIoIogIcnI mofhors nnd
fnfhors In nurfurIng fhoIr rogony fogofhor. Snmo-sox mnrrIngo Is
unnbIo fo sorvo nII of fho socInI gonIs of mnrrIngo. Ior oxnmIo, !ocko,
<H?$,, osfnbIIshos fho mnrIfnI comononfs of mufunI suorf nnd
nssIsfnnco ns Imorfnnf fo fho mnrIfnI nrfIos` common offsrIng nnd
fho rIghf of ovory chIId fo bo rnIsod nnd nurfurod by fho mnn nnd
womnn rosonsIbIo for fhoIr oxIsfonco. And whIIo nof ovory chIId Is
bIossod wIfh fho rIvIIogo of boIng ronrod by fho mofhor nnd fnfhor fhnf
mndo fhoIr IIfo ossIbIo, InInfIffs cnnnof ronsonnbIy nrguo fhnf If Is
IrrnfIonnI for fho govornmonf fo uso somo rosourcos fo oncourngo or
onhnnco fhnf ossIbIIIfy or rosuIf for ns mnny chIIdron ns ossIbIo. Ior
no nrgumonf Is mndo horoIn, nor cnn fho InInfIffs rnfIonnIIy nssorf
such, fhnf fho govornmonf hns n rIghf, or ovon n dufy, fo dorIvo n chIId
of nccoss fo fho comforf of fhoIr cronfors. If Is onIy In fho mosf oxfromo
cIrcumsfnncos, &5F5, formInnfIon of nronfnI rIghfs, whoro fhnf occurs,
nnd yof ovon fhoro If Is dono In fho bosf Inforosfs of fho chIId nnd nof
l9
wIfhouf rognrd fo fho Inforosf of ovory chIId fo know, ns bosf ns ossIbIo,
who fhoy nro nnd from whoro fhoy como. Thus, fho domosfIc roInfIons
Inw rnfIonnIIy romnIns IImIfod fo Ifs orIgInnI scoo.
*9 ,STNNRUROTMRLQN !KISROTMRQW )G\HTS -JRGQMTMRLQ .HNM
5G 'IFGSP 0LJ *QY +TMRLQTS 5TNRN9
In nddIfIon fo fho CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws nof cronfIng n
cInssIfIcnfIon bnsod on soxunI orIonfnfIon, fho muIfIIo rnfIonnI bnsos
for fho Inws soffIo nny oqunI rofocfIon quosfIon.
l. 9%/' 3,".#%,/ 0,<.< 3&=.&> !??/.&<.
SfrIcf scrufIny Is rosorvod for Inws fhnf cInssIfy bnsod on rnco,
nIIonngo, or nnfIonnI orIgIn. O."' #) O/&GH$%&L C&A5 =5 O/&GH$%& 7.=.%F
O"$5, 4?3 !.S. 432, 440 (l985). CInssIfIcnfIons bnsod on sox or
IIIogIfImncy nro qunsI-susocf nnd rocoIvo InformodInfo scrufIny.
O/,$: =5 R&"&$, 486 !.S. 456, 46l (l988). AII ofhor cInssIfIcnfIons frIggor
onIy rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow.
Tho Suromo Courf hns onIy nIIod rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow fo
soxunI orIonfnfIon cInssIfIcnfIons. In 3#B&$, fho CoIorndo Suromo
Courf nIIod sfrIcf scrufIny fo Amondmonf 2, n roforondum
InvnIIdnfIng IocnI nnfIdIscrImInnfIon Inws. 5l? !.S. nf 624-25. Iuf fho
!.S. Suromo Courf nofod fho Inw noIfhor burdons n fundnmonfnI
20
rIghf nor fnrgofs n susocf cInss. @+5 nf 63l. !ndor fhnf fosf,
IogIsInfIon musf bo uhoId so Iong ns If bonrs n rnfIonnI roInfIon fo
somo IogIfImnfo ond. @+5 Tho Courf hoId fhnf Amondmonf 2 fnIIs,
Indood dofIos, ovon fhIs convonfIonnI InquIry. @+5 nf 632.
In ;.%+<#$, fho Courf rosfod Ifs hoIdIng on fho oqunI rofocfIon
comononf of fho uo Irocoss CInuso of fho IIffh Amondmonf. Though
fho docIsIon boIow hnd nIIod InformodInfo scrufIny, nnd fho nrfIos
nnd fho SoIIcIfor ConornI dobnfod whofhor fho cInssIfIcnfIon dosorvod
InformodInfo scrufIny, nowhoro dId fho Courf nIy fhnf IovoI of rovIow.
Insfond, ;.%+<#$ roIIod uon P%."&+ 8","&< *&?,$"B&%" #) !F$.KH/"H$&
=5 N#$&%#, whIch hoId fhnf |u]ndor frndIfIonnI oqunI rofocfIon
nnnIysIs, n IogIsInfIvo cInssIfIcnfIon musf bo susfnInod, If fho
cInssIfIcnfIon IfsoIf Is rnfIonnIIy roInfod fo n IogIfImnfo govornmonfnI
Inforosf. 4l3 !.S. 528, 533 (l9?3); <&& ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2693
(quofIng N#$&%#).
As Judgo IoudIn nofod In rojocfIng InformodInfo scrufIny for
soxunI orIonfnfIon, |n]ofhIng IndIcnfos fhnf fho Suromo Courf Is nbouf
fo ndof fhIs now susocf cInssIfIcnfIon whon If consIcuousIy fnIIod fo
do so In 3#B&$n cnso fhnf couId rondIIy hnvo boon dIsosod by such n
2l
domnrcho. N,<<,KDH<&""<, 682 I.3d nf 9. Tho snmo cnn bo snId of
;.%+<#$. To quofo ShorIock HoImos, fho curIous IncIdonf of fho dog In
fho nIghf-fImo Is fhnf fho dog, hoIghfonod scrufIny, dId nof bnrk. l SIr
Arfhur Connn oyIo, 8./=&$ 0/,T&, .% CD& O#B?/&"& 8D&$/#K: S#/B&<
4l3 (2003). HoIghfonod scrufIny doos nof nIy horo.
2. 3,".#%,/ 0,<.< 3&=.&> @< 2A"$&B&/' *&)&$&%".,/5
!nfIonnI bnsIs rovIow Is n nrndIgm of judIcInI rosfrnInf. EOO =5
0&,KD O#BBKJ%<L @%K5, 508 !.S. 30?, 3l3-l4 (l993). |T]ho ConsfIfufIon
rosumos fhnf ovon ImrovIdonf docIsIons wIII ovonfunIIy bo rocfIfIod by
fho domocrnfIc rocoss. O/&GH$%&, 4?3 !.S. nf 440. Thus, judIcInI
InforvonfIon Is gonornIIy unwnrrnnfod no mnffor how unwIsoIy wo mny
fhInk n oIIfIcnI brnnch hns ncfod. 4,%K& =5 0$,+/&', 440 !.S. 93, 9?
(l9?9). Tho judIcInI roIo Is modosf rocIsoIy bocnuso rnfIonnI bnsIs Is
fho mosf roInxod nnd foIornnf form of judIcInI scrufIny undor fho IqunI
IrofocfIon CInuso. O."' #) *,//,< =5 8",%F/.%, 490 !.S. l9, 26 (l989).
Tho sfnfufo onjoys n sfrong rosumfIon of vnIIdIfy, nnd fho
chnIIongor bonrs fho burdon 'fo nognfIvo ovory concoIvnbIo bnsIs whIch
mIghf suorf If` wIfhouf rognrd fo whofhor fho concoIvod ronson for
fho chnIIongod dIsfIncfIon ncfunIIy mofIvnfod fho IogIsInfuro. 0&,KD,
22
508 !.S. nf 3l4-l5 (quofIng 7&D%D,H<&% =5 7,:& 8D#$& !H"# -,$"< O#5,
4l0 !.S. 356, 364 (l9?3)); <&& ,/<# !$B#H$ =5 O."' #) @%+.,%,?#/.<, l32
S. Cf. 20?3, 2080-8l (20l2).
In formuInfIng dofInIfIons, fhoro Is no roquIromonf fhnf n
cInssIfIcnfIon bo nnrrowIy or rocIsoIy fnIIorod. A IogIsInfuro hn|s] fo
drnw fho IIno somowhoro, 0&,KD, 508 !.S. nf 3l6, whIch InovIfnbIy
roquIros fhnf somo orsons who hnvo nn nImosf oqunIIy sfrong cInIm fo
fnvorod fronfmonf bo Incod on dIfforonf sIdos of fho IIno. N,"D&>< =5
*.,T, 426 !.S. 6?, 83 (l9?6); <&& 8KD>&.:&$ =5 ;./<#%, 450 !.S. 22l, 238
(l98l) (roscrIbIng oxfrn doforonco for sfnfufory dIsfIncfIons fhnf
InovIfnbIy InvoIvo|] fho kInd of IIno-drnwIng fhnf wIII Ionvo somo
comnrnbIy noody orson oufsIdo fho fnvorod cIrcIo.) (foofnofo omIffod).
Tho Courf hns nIIod fhIs doforonfInI nronch nof jusf fo
oconomIc IogIsInfIon, buf ovon fo govornmonfnI doformInnfIons of who
or whnf consfIfufos n fnmIIy. 8&&, &5F5, 4.//5 #) 0&//& C&$$& =5 0#$,,<, 4l6
!.S. l, 8 (l9?4) (uhoIdIng on rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow n zonIng roguInfIon
dofInIng unmnrrIod couIos ns fnmIIIos ormIffod fo IIvo fogofhor, buf
forbIddIng cohnbIfnfIon by Inrgor grous). A IogIsInfuro`s docIsIon nbouf
whoro fo drnw fho IIno Is vIrfunIIy unrovIownbIo. 0&,KD, 508 !.S. nf
23
3l6. So Iong ns fho choson grounds |nro nof] whoIIy IrroIovnnf fo fho
nchIovomonf of fho Sfnfo`s objocfIvo, fho Inw survIvos rnfIonnI bnsIs.
S&//&$ =5 *#&, 509 !.S. 3l2, 324 (l993) (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks
omIffod).
Tho quosfIon horo Is whofhor fho IncIusIon of |oosIfo-sox
couIos] romofos n IogIfImnfo govornmonfnI uroso, nnd fho nddIfIon
of |snmo-sox couIos] wouId nof. R#D%<#% =5 3#G.<#%, 4l5 !.S. 36l, 383
(l9?4). Ivon If fho fwo grous shnro somo chnrncforIsfIcs In common,
.+5 nf 3?8, whoro n grou ossossos dIsfInguIshIng chnrncforIsfIcs
roIovnnf fo Inforosfs fho Sfnfo hns fho nufhorIfy fo ImIomonf, n Sfnfo`s
docIsIon fo ncf on fho bnsIs of fhoso dIfforoncos doos nof gIvo rIso fo n
consfIfufIonnI vIoInfIon. 0+5 #) C$<5 #) P%.=5 #) !/,5 =5 Q,$$&"", 53l !.S.
356, 366-6? (200l) (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks omIffod).
3. CD& C># E/,F< #) @B?&$B.<<.G/& !%.BH<I 6#=&/
*.<,G./.".&< ,%+ @%"$H<.#%< .%"# 8","&<J C$,+.".#%,/
-$#=.%K&5
IonnsyIvnnIn`s confurIos-oId dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo noIfhor
srIngs from nnImus nor fnIIs rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow. ovoI
cInssIfIcnfIons ImIIcnfIng soxunI orIonfnfIon hnvo fnIIod fo snfIsfy
rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow #%/' whon fhoro Is no rnfIonnI oxInnnfIon for
24
fhom nnrf from nnImus, fhnf Is, n bnro . . . dosIro fo hnrm n oIIfIcnIIy
unouInr grou. ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2693 (quofIng N#$&%#, 4l3
!.S. nf 534). In conducfIng fhIs InquIry, fho Suromo Courf hns focusod
on fwo rod fIngs: (l) whofhor n Inw cronfos nnd Imosos n novoI
dIsnbIIIfy uon fho grou, nnd (2) whofhor fho Inw Infrudos Info Sfnfos`
or IocnIIfIos` frndIfIonnI sovoroIgn shoro.
In 3#B&$, fho Courf sfrossod bofh fncfors ns fInggIng
ImormIssIbIo nnImus. IIrsf, Amondmonf 2`s novoIfy nnd brondfh
sIgnnIod Ifs unconsfIfufIonnI mofIvo. Tho Courf doscrIbod Amondmonf
2 ns ocuIInr nnd oxcofIonnI bocnuso If Imos|od] n brond nnd
undIfforonfInfod dIsnbIIIfy on n sIngIo nnmod grou. 5l? !.S. nf 632.
Thus, fhIs unrocodonfod burdon wns foIIIng, bocnuso
|d]IscrImInnfIons of nn unusunI chnrncfor osocInIIy suggosf cnrofuI
consIdornfIon fo doformIno whofhor fhoy nro obnoxIous fo fho
consfIfufIonnI rovIsIon. @+5 nf 633 (quofIng 7#H.<=.//& Q,< U 2/&K5 O#5
=5 O#/&B,%, 2?? !.S. 32, 3?-38 (l928)). Moroovor, Amondmonf 2`s
shoor brondfh |wns] so dIsconfInuous wIfh fho ronsons offorod for If
fhnf fho nmondmonf sooms InoxIIcnbIo by nnyfhIng buf nnImus fownrd
25
fho cInss If nffocfs; If Incks n rnfIonnI roInfIonshI fo IogIfImnfo sfnfo
Inforosfs. @+5 nf 632.
Socond, Amondmonf 2 Infrudod uon fho rorognfIvo of IocnI
govornmonfs fo nddross IocnI mnffors. If nuIIIfIod munIcInI ordInnncos
nnd bnnnod nny IIko fufuro monsuros. @+5 nf 623-24. Tho Courf found
If foIIIng fhnf fho nmondmonf Infrudod uon ovory IovoI of CoIorndo
govornmonf no mnffor how IocnI or dIscrofo fho hnrm. @+5 nf 629,
63l. Thus, fho nmondmonf Imoso|d] n socInI dIsnbIIIfy uon
|homosoxunIs] nIono, forbIddIng fhom fo sook rofocfIon from
dIscrImInnfIon oxcof by nmondIng fho Sfnfo consfIfufIon. @+5 nf 63l.
ThIs cnso Is nofhIng IIko 3#B&$, whoro CoIorndo Imosod n
|s]wooIng nnd unrocodonfod oIIfIcnI dIsnbIIIfy on nII IndIvIdunIs
IdonfIfIod by n sIngIo frnIf, offocfIvoIy doomIng n cInss of orsons n
sfrnngor fo Ifs Inws. @+5 nf 62?, 633, 635. or Is fhIs n cnso IIko
7,>$&%K& =5 C&A,<, whoro fho Sfnfo unIshod ,< , K$.B& fho mosf
rIvnfo humnn conducf, soxunI bohnvIor, nnd In fho mosf rIvnfo of
Incos, fho homo, nnd soughf fo confroI n orsonnI roInfIonshI fhnf,
whofhor or nof onfIfIod fo formnI rocognIfIon In fho Inw, Is wIfhIn fho
IIborfy of orsons fo chooso wIfhouf boIng unIshod ns crImInnIs. 539
26
!.S. 558, 56? (2003). 7,>$&%K&, fhough docIdod on duo rocoss
grounds, omhnsIzod fho %#=&/"' of Toxns`s nnfI-sodomy Inw, ns fhoro
wns no IongsfnndIng hIsfory In fhIs counfry of Inws dIrocfod nf
homosoxunI conducf ns n dIsfIncf mnffor. @+5 nf 568. And gonornI
Inws rohIbIfIng sodomy do nof soom fo hnvo boon onforcod ngnInsf
consonfIng nduIfs ncfIng In rIvnfo. @+5 nf 569. If wns nof unfII fho
l9?0`s fhnf nny Sfnfo sIngIod ouf snmo-sox roInfIons for crImInnI
rosocufIon, nnd onIy nIno Sfnfos hnvo dono so. @+5 nf 5?0.
l

SImIInrIy, ;.%+<#$ roIIod honvIIy uon bofh OMA`s (n) novoIfy,
nnd (b) Ifs InfrusIon Info fho frndIfIonnI domnIn of fho Sfnfos, ns fho
nocossnry fwIn sIgns of nnImus. Iy hIsfory nnd frndIfIon fho dofInIfIon

l
In l980, fho IonnsyIvnnIn Suromo Courf found fho CommonwonIfh`s
nnfI-sodomy Inw unconsfIfufIonnI. O#BB#%>&,/"D =5 0#%,+.#, 4l5 A.2d
4? (In. l980). On Mnrch 3l, l995, nImosf fho IdonfIcnI IogIsInfuro fhnf
onncfod fho l996 mnrrIngo Inw vofod ovorwhoImIngIy fo roonI fho
CommonwonIfh`s nnfI-sodomy sfnfufo. l8 In. Cons. Sfnf. 3l24,
!oonIod Mnr. 3l, l995, I.!. 985, o. l0 (Soc. Soss. o. l), ?. of n
sIngIo sfnfo sonnfor or rorosonfnfIvo vofod ngnInsf fho roonI, nnd nII
buf n hnndfuI In onch chnmbor rnfIonnIIy vofod bofh fo roonI fho nnfI-
sodomy Inw nnd onncf fho mnrrIngo Inw. Thoso sfnfo IogIsInfors
ovIdonfIy snw no InconsIsfoncy In rofocfIng, ovon If onIy symboIIcnIIy,
rIvnfo snmo-sox ncfIvIfy from crImInnI unIshmonf whIIo
sImuIfnnoousIy rosorvIng fho ondurIng urosos bohInd Ifs mnrrIngo
Inws. !ndor no cIrcumsfnncos cnn fhIs soquonco of ovonfs bo rond ns
ovIdonco of unconsfIfufIonnI nnImus.
2?
nnd roguInfIon of mnrrIngo . . . hns boon fronfod ns boIng wIfhIn fho
nufhorIfy nnd ronIm of fho sonrnfo Sfnfos. l33 S. Cf. nf 2689-90.
OMA wns unconsfIfufIonnI bocnuso If Injocfod fho fodornI govornmonf
Info fho vIrfunIIy oxcIusIvo rovInco of fho Sfnfos. @+5 nf 269l
(quofIng 8#<%, =5 @#>,, 4l9 !.S. 393, 404 (l9?5)). Tho ConsfIfufIon
gnvo fho fodornI govornmonf no nufhorIfy fo Infrudo uon Sfnfos`
frndIfIonnI owor ovor domosfIc roInfIons. @+5 Thus, |f]odornI courfs
wIII nof honr dIvorco nnd cusfody cnsos ovon If fhoy nrIso In dIvorsIfy
bocnuso of 'fho vIrfunIIy oxcIusIvo rImncy . . . of fho Sfnfos In fho
roguInfIon of domosfIc roInfIons.` @+5 (oIIIsos In orIgInnI) (quofIng
!%:&%G$,%+" =5 3.KD,$+<, 504 !.S. 689, ?l4 (l992) (IInckmun, J.,
concurrIng In fho judgmonf)).
Inch Sfnfo fhus rofnIns Ionnry owor In dofInIng fho mnrIfnI
roInfIon. ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2692. Sfnfos, nnd Sfnfos nIono, mny
chooso fo vnry In somo rosocfs In whnf mnrrIngos fhoy IIconso by, for
oxnmIo, rofusIng corfnIn IIconsos duo fo oIIcy concorns nssocInfod
wIfh rocronfIon bofwoon cousIns or young foonngors. @+5 nf 269l-92.
Thnf rImncy of |f]ho Sfnfo`s owor In dofInIng fho mnrIfnI
roInfIon Is of confrnI roIovnnco In fhIs cnso. @+5 nf 2692. Somo Sfnfos
28
hnd choson fo uso| fhoIr] hIsforIc nnd ossonfInI nufhorIfy fo dofIno fho
mnrIfnI roInfIon fo IncIudo snmo-sox couIos, whIIo ofhors hnd nof. @+5
ovorfhoIoss, OMA sooks fo Injuro fho vory cInss ow York sooks fo
rofocf. @+5 nf 2693. Tho fodornI govornmonf unusunI|Iy] dovInf|od]
from fho usunI frndIfIon of doforrIng fo nnd rocognIzIng mnrrIngos
mndo InwfuI by fho unquosfIonod nufhorIfy of fho Sfnfos . . . In fho
oxorcIso of fhoIr sovoroIgn owor. @+5 !ndorcuffIng fho Sfnfo`s own
dofInIfIon nnd consIsfon|cy] wIfhIn onch Sfnfo, OMA cronf|od] fwo
confrndIcfory mnrrIngo rogImos wIfhIn fho snmo Sfnfo. @+5 nf 2692,
2694.
ThIs InnovnfIvo InfrusIon uon n Sfnfo`s IongsfnndIng, frndIfIonnI
nufhorIfy fInggod Congross`s ImormIssIbIo mofIvo. ;.%+<#$ roIfornfod
3#B&$`s fonchIng fhnf courfs shouId scrufInIzo |d]IscrImInnfIons of nn
unusunI chnrncfor . . . fo doformIno whofhor fhoy nro obnoxIous. l33 S.
Cf. nf 2692 (quofIng 3#B&$, 5l? !.S. nf 633). Tho #%/' ossIbIo
Inforonco wns fhnf fho Courf boIIovod Congross onncfod OMA fo
InfIuonco or Inforforo wIfh sfnfo sovoroIgn choIcos nbouf who mny bo
mnrrIod. ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2693. |I]fs uroso Is fo dIscourngo
onncfmonf of sfnfo snmo-sox mnrrIngo Inws|,] . . . 'fo uf n fhumb on fho
29
scnIos nnd InfIuonco n sfnfo`s docIsIon ns fo how fo shno Ifs own
mnrrIngo Inws.` @+5 (quofIng N,<<,KDH<&""<, 682 I.3d nf l2-l3). Thus,
If nny Sfnfo docIdos fo rocognIzo snmo-sox mnrrIngos, fodornI Inw mny
nof fronf| fhoso unIons] ns socond-cInss mnrrIngos. @+5 nf 2693-94.
In shorf, ;.%+<#$ confIrms fhnf Sfnfos, %#" fho fodornI
govornmonf, onjoy fho sovoroIgn owor fo dofIno mnrrIngo wIfhIn fhoIr
boundnrIos. If found ImormIssIbIo dIscrImInnfIon #%/' bocnuso fho
fodornI govornmonf rovorsod Ifs frndIfIonnI sfnnco fo Infrudo uon sfnfo
sovoroIgnfy ovor domosfIc roInfIons, fronfIng mnrrIngos wIfhIn onch
Sfnfo InconsIsfonfIy. Thus, jusf bocnuso somo sfnfos hnvo shIffod fho
confrnI oIIcy focus of fhoIr mnrrIngo Inws nwny from rocronfIon
bofwoon oosIfo-sox couIos doos nof monn fhnf nII ofhor sfnfos nro
roquIrod fo do so. If wns for fhIs ronson fhnf fho Courf oxrossIy
IImIfod |f]hIs oInIon nnd Ifs hoIdIng . . . fo fhoso InwfuI mnrrIngos
doIIbornfoIy rocognIzod by fho docIsIon of n Sfnfo. l33 S. Cf. nf 2696.
Inr from undorcuffIng IonnsyIvnnIn`s nbIIIfy fo rofnIn Ifs consIsfonf,
frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo, ;.%+<#$ rofocfs fhnf sovoroIgn
owor from judIcInI Inforforonco.
30
59 1GQQNYSZTQRT8N $JTPRMRLQTS (GURQRMRLQ LU .TJJRTWG !N
/LQWNMTQPRQW> )HIILJMGP <Y )MTMG )LZGJGRWQMY> TQP
+TMRLQTS9
l. ! 7#%F<",%+.%F @%<"."H".#%L 6#" , 6#=&/ *.<,G./."'5
Tho fwo fncfors nf fho honrf of 3#B&$, 7,>$&%K&, nnd ;.%+<#$
sfrongIy suorf fho CommonwonIfh`s owor fo rofnIn Ifs frndIfIonnI
dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo. IIrsf, fho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo Is
hnrdIy n novoI dIsnbIIIfy, buf n confurIos-oId InsfIfufIon. IInInfIffs
nowhoro nIIogo fhnf IonnsyIvnnIn hns ovor nufhorIzod snmo-sox
mnrrIngos or rocognIzod snmo-sox mnrrIngos orformod In ofhor
jurIsdIcfIons. Inr from nn nborrnnf, novoI dIsnbIIIfy, IonnsyIvnnIn`s
dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo, IIko so mnny ofhor rovIsIons of IonnsyIvnnIn
Inw, Is consIsfonf.
2. !% 2A&$K.<& #) 8","& 8#=&$&.F%"' "# -$&<&$=& "D& 8","H<
MH#5
Socond, fho domosfIc roInfIons Inws ombody Sfnfo sovoroIgnfy.
Thoy rosorvo fho CommonwonIfh`s IogIfImnfo govornmonfnI monns of
sorvIng Ifs gonIs of mnrrIngo In nn orn whon mnny ofhor jurIsdIcfIons
nro dobnfIng fho ros nnd cons of fwo comofIng vIows of mnrrIngo.
;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2?l8 (AIIfo, J., dIssonfIng). WhIIo fhIs dobnfo
goos on In ofhor sfnfos, IonnsyIvnnIn Inw rnfIonnIIy nccounfs for fho
3l
normnI movomonfs of cIfIzons bofwoon sfnfos from cronfIng fwo
confrndIcfory mnrrIngo rogImos wIfhIn fho snmo Sfnfo. @+5 nf 2694
(mnjorIfy oInIon). IonnsyIvnnIn, IIko ow York In ;.%+<#$, mndo n
doIIbornfo choIco nbouf fho fwo comofIng vIows of mnrrIngo nnd
whIch couIos qunIIfy for socInI suorf nnd bonofIfs. IonnsyIvnnIn
hns vIrfunIIy oxcIusIvo rImncy In dofInIng nnd roguInfIng domosfIc
roInfIons. @+5 nf 269l (mnjorIfy oInIon) (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks
omIffod). As wIfh so mnny ofhor nrons of Inw, fho ConsfIfufIon
snfogunrds onch Sfnfo`s froodom fo oxorImonf, or nof, ns If soos bosf,
froo from fodornI Inforforonco In oIfhor dIrocfIon.
IonnsyIvnnIn Inw doos nof Ionvo couIos fhnf nro unnbIo fo mnrry
ns sfrnngor|s] fo Ifs Inws. 3#B&$, 5l? !.S. nf 635. If doos nof
onnIIzo, Iof nIono crImInnIIzo fhom, nnd Ionvos fhom froo fo uso n
vnrIofy of fooIs fo Inn fhoIr IIvos fogofhor, &5F5, joInf fonnncIos, wIIIs,
frusfs, ndofIons, Insurnnco Inns, bonofIcInry dosIgnnfIons, ndvnnco
honIfh-cnro dIrocfIvos, nnd owors of nffornoy. IInInfIffs hnvo
succossfuIIy usod mnny of fhoso fooIs. 8&&L &5F5, ComI. l8, 22, 32,
49, 55, 59, 65, ?0, ?9, 8l, 89.
32
3. NH/".?/& 3,".#%,/ 0,<&< )#$ -&%%<'/=,%.,J< C$,+.".#%,/
*&).%.".#% #) N,$$.,F&5
IonnsyIvnnIn hns muIfIIo rnfIonnI bnsos for rovIdIng mnrIfnI
bonofIfs nnd rocognIfIon fo n corfnIn cInss of oosIfo-sox couIos (buf
nof nII oosIfo-sox couIos). Ior confurIos now, fhoso rnfIonnI bnsos
fIow nof from nnImus or InvIdIous sforoofyos, buf from fho fncfs of
bIoIogy nnd roroducfIon. OosIfo-sox roInfIonshIs froquonfIy do
rosuIf In rognnncIos nnd offsrIng, nnd fho IognI rofocfIons of
mnrrIngo oxfond fo fhoso rocronfIvo unIons fo oncourngo fhoIr
IongovIfy, osocInIIy whoro fho offsrIng wns nof Innnod. Snmo-sox
roInfIonshIs do nof rosuIf In unInfonfIonnI offsrIng.
OosIfo-sox mnrrIngos nIso romofo fho rnIsIng of n chIId by bofh
fhoIr bIoIogIcnI mofhor nnd fnfhor. IIoIogIcnI nronfs nro gonofIcnIIy
Invosfod In fho woIfnro of fhoIr offsrIng. Thoy hoI fhoIr offsrIng
grnIo wIfh fho snmo gonofIc frnIfs nnd dIsonsos wIfh whIch fho
nronfs hnvo IIvod nII fhoIr IIvos, nnd cnn nIso coIobrnfo fho mnny
wondorfuI nsocfs of fhoIr gonofIc IInongos. If wouId bo IrrnfIonnI fo
concIudo fhnf gonofIcs nnd bIood IInos nro whoIIy IrroIovnnf nnd cnn
hnvo no moorIngs In ubIIc oIIcy. In snmo-sox couIos, nf mosf ono
nronf cnn bo fho bIoIogIcnI nronf of fho chIId.
33
ThIrd, ovon ns fo fho mInorIfy of chIIdron who nro ndofIvo,
sfochIIdron, or concoIvod fhrough nssIsfod roroducfIvo fochnoIogIos,
oosIfo-sox mnrrIngo sfIII romofos fho Imorfnnco of bofh mofhors
nnd fnfhors ns chIId ronrors. Snmo-sox couIos do nof. AdofIon Is our
socIofy`s bosf offorf fo rovIdo chIIdron IovIng nronfs whon fho fIos fo
fho mofhor nnd fnfhor fhnf broughf fhom Info fho worId hnvo boon
unforfunnfoIy sovorod. To fho oxfonf fhnf fho CommonwonIfh, or Ifs
courfs, hnvo snncfIonod ndofIons by IndIvIdunIs or snmo-sox couIos
whon fho nIfornnfIvo hns boon fosfor cnro, InsfIfufIons, ofc., fho focus Is
nffomfIng fo rovIdo nn ndoqunfo onvIronmonf for n chIId In non-IdonI
cIrcumsfnncos, nnd nof whofhor nny nrfIcuInr nduIf roInfIonshI Is
nocossnrIIy IdonI In nnd of IfsoIf.
Iourfh, bocnuso mnrrIngo unIfos n mnn nnd n womnn, ono of fho
mnrrIod nronfs wIII bo of fho snmo sox ns nny chIIdron fhoy cronfo.
Thnf nIrIng onsuros fhnf onch chIId hns n roIo modoI of fho snmo sox,
ns woII ns ono of fho oosIfo sox. If fhus nssIsfs n chIId ns ho or sho
mnfuros fhrough onch sox`s dIsfIncfIvo oxorIonco of uborfy, for
oxnmIo. And fhough nof ovory chIId wIII grow u wIfh bofh n mofhor
nnd n fnfhor,
34
|f]ho !ogIsInfuro couId rnfIonnIIy boIIovo fhnf If Is boffor,
ofhor fhIngs boIng oqunI, for chIIdron fo grow u wIfh bofh n
mofhor nnd n fnfhor. InfuIfIon nnd oxorIonco suggosf fhnf
n chIId bonofIfs from hnvIng boforo hIs or hor oyos, ovory
dny, IIvIng modoIs of whnf bofh n mnn nnd n womnn nro IIko.

S&$%,%+&T =5 3#G/&<, 855 .I.2d l, 4 (.Y. 2006). Thus, If Is IrrnfIonnI
fo concIudo fhnf hnvIng bofh n mofhor nnd n fnfhor In fho homo ns roIo
modoIs Is IrroIovnnf nnd cnn hnvo no moorIngs In ubIIc oIIcy whon If
comos fo domosfIc roInfIons Inws.
IInnIIy, mnrrIngo Is n known qunnfIfy IngrnInod In our Inws nnd
cuIfuro fhnf hns rovon Ifs ondurIng vnIuo, ovor fhousnnds of yonrs.
Indood, unfII fho rovIous docndo, no Sfnfo or counfry nIforod Ifs
domosfIc roInfIons Inws In fho fnshIon domnndod by InInfIffs. Tho
ofhorInnds bocnmo fho fIrsf counfry fo do so In 2000, nnd
Mnssnchusoffs foIIowod In 2004. 8&& ;.%+<#$, l33 S. Cf. nf 2?l5 (AIIfo,
J., dIssonfIng) (cIfnfIons omIffod)5 If hns nof oxIsfod for ovon n sIngIo
gonornfIon, so fhoro cnn bo no sIgnIfIcnnf, IongIfudInnI socInI-scIonco
dnfn rognrdIng Ifs Inrgo-scnIo, Iong-form offocfs uon chIIdron, fnmIIIos,
govornmonfs, oconomIos, nnd socIofIos ovor gonornfIons. If romnIns n
novoI socInI oxorImonf wIfh unforosoonbIo buf ofonfInIIy rofound
35
consoquoncos, nnd fho CommonwonIfh's cnufIous nronch fo fhIs
novoIfy, IIko nny ofhor, Is InhoronfIy rnfIonnI.
Thnf fho InInfIffs IdonfIfy fho undonInbIo oxIsfonco of dIfforonf
forms nnd sfrucfuros of fnmIIIos doos nofhIng fo nssIsf fhIs Courf In
nssossIng whofhor fho Inw musf oxrossIy rocognIzo nnd/or oxfond
socInI rIvIIogo fo fhoso roInfIonshIs. Sof nsIdo for now fho mnny
mofhodoIogIcnI fInws In fho rosonrch nIIudod fo by InInfIffs, ComI.
l30, whIch dofondnnfs wIII oxIIcnfo Infor If nocossnry. If ono fnkos
fho rosonrch nf fnco vnIuo, ns InInfIffs nsk fhIs Courf fo do, fho cInImod
rosonrch fIndIngs H%+&$KH" n nood for snmo-sox mnrrIngofhoy suggosf
fhnf chIIdron rnIsod by snmo-sox couIos nro doIng oqunIIy woII wIfhouf
If, nnd nro nof hnrmod by Ifs nbsonco. Tho rosonrch on unmnrrIod
couIos cnnnof foII us fho ros nnd cons, for fhoso nnd ofhor chIIdron, of
n mnrIfnI InnovnfIon so novoI fhnf nof ovon n sIngIo gonornfIon hns
grown u undor If. onofhoIoss, InInfIffs cnnnof cInIm, In ono bronfh,
fhnf fho nbsonco of fhoIr nccoss fo n mnrrIngo IIconso cronfos n ronI
hnrm nnd fhon, In nnofhor bronfh, rofoss fhnf fho nbsonco of fhoIr
nccoss fo n mnrrIngo IIconso hns yIoIdod no hnrm nf nII.
36
CIvon fhIs uncorfnInfy nnd fho grnvo sfnkos, fho CommonwonIfh
rnfIonnIIy docIInos fo Ion whoIosnIo Info fho unknown. Insfond, In fho
fnco of IognI chnngos oIsowhoro, nnd offorfs fo Imorf fhoso chnngos
horo, If hns sfruck n ronsonnbIo comromIso. Tho domosfIc roInfIons
Inws rosorvo fho CommonwonIfh`s fImo-fosfod sfrucfuro fo suorf
nnd nurfuro bIoIogIcnI rocronfIvo unIons, whIIo sImuIfnnoousIy IonvIng
ofhor fnmIIy sfrucfuros fho IognI fooIs noodod fo Inn fhoIr IIvos froo of
Sfnfo Inforforonco.
Iocnuso rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow Iooks fo nny concoIvnbIo bnsIs on
whIch fho IogIsInfuro couId hnvo rosfod, dIscovory nbouf ncfunI mofIvos
or offocfs wouId bo of nomInnI vnIuo. Moroovor, InInfIffs cnnnof
roduco fo fhIs Courf ovIdonco of unconsfIfufIonnI mofIvos by fho
CommonwonIfh whon Ifs domosfIc roInfIons Inws woro fIrsf ndofod
confurIos ngo. And bocnuso rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow roquIros onIy somo
jusfIfIcnfIon fhnf Is InusIbIy sorvod by n cInssIfIcnfIon, If Is IrroIovnnf
fhnf InInfIffs Invoko ofhor ?#/.K' ronsons for oxfondIng mnrrIngo fo
snmo-sox couIos. !onsonnbIo IogIsInfuros nnd vofors mny dIsngroo
nbouf such frndooffs, nnd InInfIffs mny ndvnnco fhoso nrgumonfs nf
fho sfnfohouso nnd fho bnIIof box.
3?
Covornmonfs rnfIon nnd mnnngo bonofIfs, nnd fho bnsos IIsfod
nbovo nro nof IrrnfIonnI wnys of doIng so fhrough domosfIc roInfIons
Inw. 0H" <&& ComI. l25, l2?. As Judgo IoudIn uf If, brondonIng
fho dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo wIII roduco fnx rovonuos nnd Incronso socInI
socurIfy nymonfs. ThIs Is fho convorso of fho vory ndvnnfngos fhnf fho
. . . InInfIffs nro sookIng, nnd |n IogIsInfuro] couId rnfIonnIIy hnvo
boIIovod fhnf |rosfrIcfIng mnrrIngo fo oosIfo-sox couIos] wouId
roduco cosfs, ovon If nowor sfudIos suggosf fho confrnry.
N,<<,KDH<&""<, 682 I.3d nf 9.
If Is of no momonf fhnf fho mnrIfnI cInssIfIcnfIon Is nof rocIsoIy
fnIIorod fo fho vngnrIos of ovonfunI roroducfIon. AImosf nII
cInssIfIcnfIons nro undorIncIusIvo, ovorIncIusIvo, or bofh, nnd rnfIonnI
bnsIs rovIow nIIows such nocossnry ImorfocfIons. Ior Insfnnco, somo
oosIfo-sox couIos nro InforfIIo or chooso nof fo roroduco. Iuf ns fho
MInnosofn Suromo Courf nofod In 0,:&$ =5 6&/<#%, oqunI rofocfIon
domnnds noIfhor orfocfIon nor nbsoIufo symmofry. l9l .W.2d nf l8?.
Moroovor, couIos chnngo fhoIr mInds, nccIdonfnIIy concoIvo, or
succossfuIIy fronf InforfIIIfy. Tho govornmonf couId nof consfIfufIonnIIy
ry Info such choIcos or forfIIIfy wIfhouf vIoInfIng fho rIvncy of fho
38
mnrIfnI bodroom. @+5 (cIfIng Q$.<>#/+ =5 O#%%&K".KH", 38l !.S. 4?9
(l965)). IoIng of n corfnIn ngo, oufsIdo n corfnIn dogroo of
consnnguInIfy, nnd of fho oosIfo sox Is n ronsonnbIo, unInfrusIvo
roxy for IIkoIy rocronfIon.
Tho domosfIc roInfIons Inws` frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo
onsIIy survIvos rnfIonnI bnsIs rovIow.
!!!9 $FG (LKGNMRO +GSTMRLQN /TX !N +LLMGP RQ MFG 5RLSLWY LU
+GIJLPHOMRLQ> "LM -HMKLPGP 6GQPGJ )MGJGLMYIGN> NL !M !N
"LM )G\ (RNOJRKRQTMRLQ9
!nnbIo fo rovo fhnf fho CommonwonIfh`s domosfIc roInfIons Inws
IrrnfIonnIIy dIscrImInnfo for urosos of Counf II, InInfIffs cInIm In
Counf III fhnf fhoy dIscrImInnfo bnsod on sox. Iuf fho Suromo Courf
hns novor hoId fhnf cInssIfIcnfIons InvoIvIng soxunI orIonfnfIon nmounf
fo sox dIscrImInnfIon. Tho frndIfIonnI dofInIfIon of mnrrIngo fronfs bofh
soxos oqunIIy, ns mon nnd womon nro oqunIIy froo fo mnrry mombors of
fho oosIfo sox.
Tho fundnmonfnI fInw wIfh InInfIffs` sox dIscrImInnfIon cInIm Is
fhnf fho mnrrIngo Inws nro fncInIIy noufrnI; fhoy do nof sIngIo ouf mon
or womon ns n cInss for dIsnrnfo fronfmonf, buf rnfhor rohIbIf mon
nnd womon oqunIIy from mnrryIng n orson of fho snmo sox. 0,:&$ =5
39
8","&, ?44 A.2d 864, 880 n.l3 (Vf. l999). |T]horo Is no dIscrofo cInss
subjocf fo dIfforonfInI fronfmonf soIoIy on fho bnsIs of sox; onch sox Is
oqunIIy rohIbIfod from rocIsoIy fho snmo conducf. @+. Ofhor courfs
rojocf fho cInIm fhnf dofInIng mnrrIngo ns fho unIon of ono mnn nnd
ono womnn dIscrImInnfos on fho bnsIs of sox. @+5 (cIfIng 0,:&$, l9l
.W.2d nf l86-8?, nnd 8.%F&$ = S,$,, 522 I.2d ll8?, ll9l-92 (Wnsh.
Cf. A. l9?4)); <&& ,/<# @% $& N,$$.,F& O,<&<, l83 I.3d 384, 436-40
(CnI. 2008); O#%,>,' =5 *&,%&, 932 A.2d 5?l, 585-602 (Md. 200?);
S&$%,%+&T =5 3#G/&<, 855 .I.2d l, l0-ll (.Y. 2006) (IurnIIfy); .+5 nf
20 (Crnffoo, J., concurrIng); !%+&$<&% =5 1.%F O%"'5, l38 I.3d 963, 988
(Wnsh. 2006) (IurnIIfy); .+5 nf l0l0 (J.M. Johnson, J., concurrIng In
judgmonf onIy); R#%&< =5 S,//,D,%, 50l S.W.2d 588, 590 (Ky. l9?3)
(snmo); *&,% =5 *.<"$.K" #) O#/HBG.,, 653 A.2d 30?, 363 n.2 (.C. l995)
(o. of Sfondmnn, J.) (snmo). IodornI courfs ngroo. ;./<#% =5 !:&, 354
I. Su. 2d l298, l30?-08 (M.. IIn. 2005) (OMA doos nof
dIscrImInnfo on fho bnsIs of sox bocnuso If fronfs womon nnd mon
oqunIIy); 8B&/", 3?4 I. Su. 2d nf 8?? (snmo); @% $& 1,%+H, 3l5 I.!.
l23, l43 (Innkr. W.. Wnsh. 2005) (snmo).
2

2
Tho onIy confrnry nufhorIfy of whIch counsoI Is nwnro Is 0,&D$L <H?$,.
(E##"%#"& K#%".%H&+ #% %&A" ?,F&Z)
40
Tho Suromo Courf hns roonfodIy uhoId cInssIfIcnfIons fhnf
frnck bIoIogIcnI dIfforoncos bofwoon fho soxos. IsfIncfIons bnsod on
rognnncy, for Insfnnco, nro rnfIonnIIy roInfod fo womon`s dIfforonf
roroducfIvo bIoIogy. Q&+H/+.F =5 !.&//#, 4l? !.S. 484, 495-96 (l9?4)
(oqunI rofocfIon) (Infor suorsodod by 42 !.S.C.A. 2000o(k) (Wosf
20l3) (Irognnncy IscrImInnfIon Amondmonf)). And ImmIgrnfIon Inw
mny mnko If onsIor for ouf-of-wodIock chIIdron fo cInIm cIfIzonshI from
cIfIzon mofhors fhnn from cIfIzon fnfhors, for ronsons boyond gondor
sforoofyos. 6FH'&% =5 @68, 533 !.S. 53, 62-65 (200l). Iofh soxos nro
oqunIIy froo fo mnrry, nnd IonnsyIvnnIn`s mnrrIngo Inws nro roofod In
roroducfIvo bIoIogy, nof sforoofyos.
!39 $FGJG !N "L )H<NMTQMRZG (HG 1JLOGNN 0HQPTKGQMTS +RWFM
ML .TJJY T 1GJNLQ LU -QG8N -XQ )G\9
IInInfIffs sfrofch fho Suromo Courf`s cnsos rocognIzIng n
fundnmonfnI rIghf fo mnrry n orson of fho #??#<."& sox Info n rIghf fo
mnrry n orson of fho <,B& sox. In doIng so, fhoy Invonf nn

Thoro, n fwo judgo IurnIIfy oxrossod fho vIow fhnf mnrrIngo Inws
consfIfufod sox dIscrImInnfIon undor fho <","& consfIfufIon. 852 I.2d nf
59-63. Thnf vIow dId nof commnnd n mnjorIfy of fho courf nnd wns
Infor suorsodod by nn nmondmonf fo fho HnwnIÌ ConsfIfufIon. 8&&
Hnw. Consf. nrf. I, 23.
4l
unrocodonfod rIghf, confrnry fo fho Suromo Courf`s domnndIng fosf
for subsfnnfIvo duo rocoss. IronIcnIIy, whIIo roIyIng honvIIy on
;.%+<#$ for Ifs condomnnfIon of fho fodornI govornmonf's novoIfy, fho
so-cnIIod rIghf nssorfod by fho InInfIffs bronks now ground.
!Ighf-fo-mnrry cnsos nro roofod In fho bnsIc bIoIogIcnI fncf fhnf
oosIfo-sox couIos roroduco. ThIs ImIIcnfos nof jusf rIvnfo soxunI
ncfIvIfy buf fho ubIIc`s vIfnI Inforosf In ronrIng chIIdron. ThIs doos nof
oncomnss InInfIffs` urorfod rIghf.
Tho uo Irocoss CInuso of fho Iourfoonfh Amondmonf socInIIy
rofocfs fhoso fundnmonfnI rIghfs nnd IIborfIos whIch nro, objocfIvoIy,
dooIy roofod In fhIs nfIon`s hIsfory nnd frndIfIon. ;,<D.%F"#% =5
Q/HK:<G&$F, 52l !.S. ?02, ?20-2l (l99?) (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks
omIffod). Tho nIIogod rIghf cnnnof bo nssorfod In n brond, nbsfrncf
mnnnor, buf roquIros cnrofuI doscrIfIon rosfIng on concrofo
oxnmIos of how fho rIghf hns boon InsfnnfInfod. @+5 nf ?2l-22. Ono
cnnnof consfrucf n now fundnmonfnI rIghf by InboIIng snmo-sox unIons
ns mnrrIngos, buf musf focus on how fhoIr dofnIIs dIvorgo from fho
mnrrIngos rocognIzod In onrIIor cnsos.
42
Tho rImnry nufhorIfy InInfIffs cIfo for n fundnmonfnI rIghf Is
7#=.%F =5 4.$F.%.,, 388 !.S. l, l2 (l96?). ComI. ll, 35. Iuf fho Inw
sfruck down fhoro fnrgofod rocronfIvo InforrncInI unIons, nnd fho
Courf omhnsIzod fhnf mnrrIngo Is fundnmonfnI fo our vory oxIsfonco
nnd survIvnI. 388 !.S. nf l2. If wns bocnuso of rocronfIon fhnf fho
mIscogonnfIon Inws ovon nroso. 8&& F&%&$,//' InuI A. !ombnrdo,
N.<K&F&%,".#%L 2HF&%.K<L ,%+ 3,K.<BI S.<"#$.K,/ E##"%#"&< "# !ovIng v.
VIrgInIn, 2l !.C. nvIs !. !ov. 42l (l988).
|A]f common Inw fhoro wns no bnn on InforrncInI mnrrIngo,
IrvIng C. Trngon, 8","H"#$' -$#D.G.".#%< ,F,.%<" @%"&$$,K.,/ N,$$.,go,
32 CnI. !. !ov. 269, 269 (l944), nnd |f]horo wns no ruIo nf common Inw
In IngInnd nor hns nny sfnfufo boon nssod In IngInnd bnnnIng
InforrncInI mnrrIngos. @+. n.2 (cIfIng AIoxnndor Wood !Infon nnd
Coorgo CronvIIIo IhIIIImoro, CD& O#B?,$,".=& 7,> #) N,$$.,F& ,%+
*.=#$K& l42 (Swoof & MnxwoII l9l0). MIscogonnfIon Inws fIrsf
nonrod In fho l600`s, foIIowIng fho IncofIon of sInvory on AmorIcnn
soII, nnd mnrkIng n novoI nnd unusunI donrfuro from fho common Inw
ns If hnd oxIsfod for confurIos. Whon fho Suromo Courf sfruck down
fho hnndfuI of romnInIng such Inws In 7#=.%F, If moroIy rofurnod
43
mnrrIngo fo Ifs nnfurnI, common Inw sfnfoono mnn nnd ono womnn,
wIfhouf rncInI rosfrIcfIons. And If Is fhoso vory snmo ronI nnd ondurIng
rocronfIvo urosos fhnf hnvo nIIowod ngo nnd consnnguInIfy
rosfrIcfIons fo romnIn ns ondurIng IIInrs of mnrrIngo.
!IkowIso, X,G/#K:. =5 3&+D,./ rnIsod fho duo rocoss rIghf fo
mnrry, osfnbIIsh n homo nnd brIng u chIIdron ns fundnmonfnI fo fho
vory oxIsfonco nnd survIvnI of fho rnco. 434 !.S. nf 384 (cIfod nf
ComI. l08) (InfornnI quofnfIon mnrks omIffod). And CH$%&$ =5 8,)/&'
nufhorIzod rIsonors fo mnrry In fho oxocfnfIon fhnf |fho mnrrIngos]
uIfImnfoIy wIII bo fuIIy consummnfod uon roIonso. 482 !.S. ?8, 96
(l98?) (cIfod nf ComI. l08). Inch of fhoso cnsos nnchorod Ifs hoIdIng
In fho roroducfIvo cnncIfy of oosIfo-sox couIos.
or Is 7,>$&%K& =5 C&A,< n bnsIs for rocognIzIng n novoI rIghf fo
mnrry somoono of fho snmo sox. In groundIng Ifs rIghf fo rIvncy,
7,>$&%K& sfrossod fho novoIfy of sodomy Inws, fho grnvIfy of crImInnI
onnIfIos, nnd fho rIvnfo nnfuro of fho soxunI conducf rofocfod nf
homo. 539 !.S. nf 568-?l, 5?5-?6. If socIfIcnIIy docIInod fo chnngo
whIch roInfIonshIs fho ubIIc mny rocognIzo or fosfor. @+5 nf 5?8.
44
Horo, by confrnsf, InInfIffs do nof nIIogo fhnf fho govornmonf hns
Infrudod fhoIr bodrooms, or crImInnIIzod fhoIr bohnvIor. or do fhoy
nsk fhIs Courf fo nbrognfo n novoI dIsnbIIIfy, buf rnfhor n IongsfnndIng,
bodrock InsfIfufIon. Thoy sook nof rIvncy for consonfIng nduIfs bohInd
cIosod doors, buf ubIIc rocognIfIon, ondorsomonfs, nnd bonofIfs. 8&&L
&5F5, ComI. 2, l3, 26, ?3. 7,>$&%K& Is fhus InnosIfo. Thoro Is no
bnsIs for InInfIffs` nIIogod fundnmonfnI rIghf.
39 1STRQMRUUN8 ,LKISTRQM )FLHSP 5G (RNKRNNGP ULJ 0TRSHJG ML
?LRQ "GOGNNTJY 1TJMRGN 'QPGJ +HSG :A9
!ndor !uIo l9, nII CIorks of fho Orhnns` Courf nro roquIrod
nrfIos fo grnnf comIofo roIIof fo InInfIffs` chnIIongo fo fho
CommonwonIfh`s mnrrIngo Inws. InIIuro fo joIn nrfIos undor I!CI l9
consfIfufos grounds for dIsmIssnI undor I!CI l2(b)(?).
Tho ThIrd CIrcuIf hns dofInod nocossnry nrfIos ns |]orsons who
nof onIy hnvo nn Inforosf In fho confrovorsy, buf nn Inforosf of such n
nnfuro fhnf n fInnI docroo cnnnof bo mndo wIfhouf oIfhor nffocfIng fhnf
Inforosf, or IonvIng fho confrovorsy In such n condIfIon fhnf Ifs fInnI
formInnfIon mny bo whoIIy InconsIsfonf wIfh oquIfy nnd good
conscIonco. 8"&&/ 4,//&' !H"D5 =5 P%.#% 8>."KD U 8.F%,/ *.=5, 809 I.2d
l006, l0ll (3d CIr. l98?) (YH#".%F 8D.&/+< =5 0,$$#>L 58 !.S. (l? How.)
45
l30, l39, l5 !.Id. l58 (l854)). Iocnuso Issuos of joIndor cnn bo
comIox, nnd doformInnfIons nro cnso socIfIc, fhoro Is no sof formuIn
for fhIs oquIfnbIo doformInnfIon. 3&?HG/.K #) -D./.??.%&< =5 -.B&%"&/,
553 !.S. 85l, 863 (2008); <&& ,/<# -$#=.+&%" C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<"
O#5 =5 -,""&$<#%, 390 !.S. l02, ll8 (l968) (Whofhor n orson Is
'IndIsonsnbIo,` fhnf Is, whofhor n nrfIcuInr InwsuIf musf bo dIsmIssod
In fho nbsonco of fhnf orson, cnn onIy bo doformInod In fho confoxf of
nrfIcuInr IIfIgnfIon. Thoro Is n Inrgo cnfogory . . . of orsons who, In
fho !uIo`s formInoIogy, shouId bo 'joInod If fonsIbIo.`). Tho docIsIon
whofhor fo dIsmIss (.5&5, fho docIsIon whofhor fho orson mIssIng Is
'IndIsonsnbIo`) musf bo bnsod on fncfors vnryIng wIfh fho dIfforonf
cnsos, somo such fncfors boIng subsfnnfIvo, somo rocodurnI, somo
comoIIIng by fhomsoIvos, nnd somo subjocf fo bnInncIng ngnInsf
oosIng Inforosfs. -$#=.+&%" C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<" O#5, 390 !.S.
nf ll8-l9.
Incfors fhnf fho ThIrd CIrcuIf nnd Suromo Courf hnvo
consIdorod In fho cnso-socIfIc nocossnry-nrfy-doformInnfIon IncIudo:
(l) consIdornfIon of 'fho ubIIc|'s Inforosf] In nvoIdIng roonfod InwsuIfs
on fho snmo ossonfInI subjocf mnffor.` Q&%5 3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5 =5 E.$<"
46
8","& @%<5 O#5, 500 I.3d 306, 3l5 (3d CIr. 200?); (2) 'fho dosIrnbIIIfy of
joInIng fhoso orsons In whoso nbsonco fho courf wouId bo obIIgod fo
grnnf nrfInI or 'hoIIow` rnfhor fhnn comIofo roIIof fo fho nrfIos boforo
fho courf.` @+5 (quofIng fho ndvIsory commIffoo nofos fo fho l966
nmondmonf fo !uIo l9); nnd (3) fho Inforosf of fho courfs nnd fho
ubIIc In comIofo, consIsfonf, nnd offIcIonf soffIomonf of confrovorsIos.
-$#=.+&%" C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<" O#5, 390 !.S. nf lll. Whofhor
comIofo roIIof mny bo grnnfod nbsonf fho unjoInod nrfIos Is
nocossnrIIy doformInod by fho roIIof soughf. 8"&&/ 4,//&' !H"D5, 809
I.2d nf l0l2. Thus, foIIowIng 8"&&/ 4,//&' !H"D#$."', wo dIrocf our
nffonfIon fo fho roIIof soughf by fho InInfIffs. @+5
*9 1STRQMRUUN +G[HGNM +GSRGU LQ 5GFTSU LU 1TJMRGN QLM
<GULJG MFRN ,LHJM> TQP MFTM XRSS !KITOM 'QVLRQGP
(GUGQPTQMN9
AIfhough InInfIffs hnvo nof movod fo corfIfy n cInss, InInfIffs
sook n docInrnfory judgmonf nnd InjuncfIvo roIIof on bohnIf of nII ofhor
snmo-sox couIos . . . In fho CommonwonIfh of IonnsyIvnnIn fhnf nro
nof nrfIos fo fhIs cnso. ComI. nf . 5l (Irnyor for !oIIof). Thus,
InInfIffs nro sookIng fho offocf of n sfnfowIdo cInss-ncfIon InwsuIf
wIfhouf fho formnIIfIos. O)5 Iod. !. CIv. I. 23.
4?
Iocnuso nII CIorks of Orhnns` Courf hnvo nof boon joInod, fho
roIIof soughf mny bInd onIy fho nnmod dofondnnfs fo fhIs cnso, buf
wouId nocossnrIIy Imncf nII non-nrfy CIorks of Orhnns` Courf
cnusIng roonfod InwsuIfs on fho snmo ossonfInI subjocf mnffor, Q&%5
3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5, 500 I.3d nf 3l5, confIIcfIng wIfh fho Inforosf of fho
courfs nnd fho ubIIc In comIofo, consIsfonf, nnd offIcIonf soffIomonf of
confrovorsIos, -$#=.+&%" C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<" O#5, 390 !.S. nf
lll, nnd rosuIfIng In hoIIow rnfhor fhnn comIofo roIIof, Q&%5
3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5, 500 I.3d nf 3l5.
59 $FRN ,LHJM ,TQQLM *UULJP MFG 0HSS +GSRGU )LHWFM <Y
1STRQMRUUN *<NGQM ?LRQPGJ LU TSS ,SGJ]N LU -JIFTQN8
,LHJM9
Anrf from InInfIffs` Inck of ArfIcIo III sfnndIng fo nssorf fhIrd-
nrfIos` Inforosfs, 4.//5 #) !$/.%F"#% S&.FD"< =5 N&"$#5 S#H<5 *&=5 O#$?5,
429 !.S. 252, 263 (l9??) (In fho ordInnry cnso, n nrfy Is donIod
sfnndIng fo nssorf fho rIghfs of fhIrd orsons.), such roIIof cnnnof bo
comIofoIy nffordod nbsonf joIndor bocnuso onIy fho nnmod dofondnnfs
wouId bo bound If fhIs Courf nffordod fho roIIof soughf. -$#=.+&%"
C$,+&<B&%< 0,%: U C$H<" O#5, 390 !.S. nf ll0 (non nrfIos cnnnof bo
bound by fho judgmonf rondorod.).
48
IonnsyIvnnIn Inw Imosos n mInIsforInI dufy on fho CIorks of
Orhnns` Courf fo onforco fho mnrrIngo sfnfufos, nnd grnnfs fhom no
dIscrofIon fo donrf from Ifs roquIromonfs or doformIno whofhor fho
Inw Is consfIfufIonnI. O#BB#%>&,/"D =5 S,%&<, o. 3?9 M.. 20l3, sII
o. nf 25, 33 (In. Commw. Cf. Sof. l2, 20l3) (nffnchod ns IxhIbIf C)
(Tho CommonwonIfh`s sfnfufory schomo, oufIInIng fho nIIcnbIo
roquIromonfs nnd rocoduro for fho Issunnco of n mnrrIngo IIconso, doos
nof nufhorIzo |n CIork] fo oxorcIso nny dIscrofIon or judgmonf wIfh
rosocf fo Ifs rovIsIons.). Thus, bocnuso 65 of IonnsyIvnnIn`s 6?
CIorks of Orhnns` Courf nro nof nrfIos fo fhIs cnso, nor bound by nny
ofonfInI judgmonf of fhIs Courf, fho unjoInod CIorks shnII confInuo fo
onforco fho CommonwonIfh`s InwsrosumnbIy ns fo ofhor snmo-sox
couIos on whoso bohnIf InInfIffs sook roIIof. 8&& &5F5, P585 &A $&/5
7,>$&%K& =5 ;##+<, 432 I.2d l0?2, l0?6 (?fh CIr. l9?0) (HoIdIng fhnf
bocnuso Iowor fodornI courfs oxorcIso no noIInfo jurIsdIcfIon ovor
sfnfo frIbunnIs, |nnd] docIsIons of Iowor fodornI courfs nro nof concIusIvo
on sfnfo courfs, fho suromncy cInuso dId nof roquIro fho sfnfo fo conso
onforcomonf of nn ordInnnco docInrod unconsfIfufIonnI by n fodornI
dIsfrIcf courf In n dIfforonf cnso.); 3',% =5 8?&K"&$, 332 I. Su. 26, 29
49
(I.. In. l9?l) (Throo-judgo dIsfrIcf nnoI oInIon by IIggs, CIrcuIf
Judgo) (cIfnfIons omIffod) (n docIsIon by fhIs courf docInrIng fho
IonnsyIvnnIn . . . sfnfufos unconsfIfufIonnI wouId nof bo bIndIng on fho
Suromo Courf of IonnsyIvnnIn. If wo woro fo hoId fhoso IonnsyIvnnIn
sfnfufos unconsfIfufIonnI nnd fho Suromo Courf of IonnsyIvnnIn
shouId . . . docInro fhom fo bo consfIfufIonnI, nn nwkwnrd nnd robnbIy
unworknbIo sIfunfIon wouId nrIso, whofhor In IhIIndoIhIn Counfy
nIono or fhroughouf IonnsyIvnnIn. Chnos mIghf onsuo.).
,9 ?LRQPGJ LU TSS ,SGJ]N LU -JIFTQN8 ,LHJM RN "GOGNNTJY
ML *ZLRP +GIGTMGP /TXNHRMN9
Whon consIdorIng whofhor n nrfy Is nocossnry undor !uIo l9(n),
courfs consIdor fho Inforosfs of 'fho ubIIc In nvoIdIng roonfod
InwsuIfs on fho snmo ossonfInI subjocf mnffor.` Q&%5 3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5,
500 I.3d nf 3l5. Ior oxnmIo, In S#D&G =5 NH$.&/, fho courf ovorfurnod
n dIsfrIcf courf`s donInI of n mofIon fo dIsmIss for fnIIuro fo joIn nrfIos
undor !uIo l9 In nrf bocnuso |I]f fho roIIof soughf by InInfIffs shouId
bo grnnfod furfhor IIfIgnfIon . . . nonrs InovIfnbIo. If nII |nrfIos In
quosfIon] nro joInod now, comIofo roIIof cnn bo gIvon In n sIngIo
InwsuIf. ?53 I.2d 24, 2? (3d CIr. l985). Tho courf nofod fhnf !uIo l9
wns nmondod In l966 fo sImIIfy nnd IIbornIIzo joIndor undor fho
50
IodornI !uIos of CIvII Irocoduro. Tho rIncInI consIdornfIon Is fhnf
'orsons mnforInIIy Inforosfod In fho subjocf of nn ncfIon . . . shouId bo
joInod ns nrfIos so fhnf fhoy mny bo honrd nnd n comIofo dIsosIfIon
mndo.` @+5 nf 26.
Woro fhIs Courf fo grnnf InInfIffs` roquosfod roIIof, fho non-nrfy
CIorks of Orhnns` Courf wouId nof bo bound, rosuIfIng In somo cIorks
IssuIng IIconsos fo snmo-sox couIos whIIo ofhors romnIn obIIgnfod fo
foIIow CommonwonIfh Inws. ThIs wouId Inco fho unjoInod nrfIos In
nn unfonnbIo osIfIon: whofhor fo onforco fho Inw, or whofhor fo
nbdIcnfo fhoIr mInIsforInI dufy fo onforco fho Inw bocnuso n courf
judgmonf fhoy nro nof bound by hns docInrod fho Inw fo bo
unconsfIfufIonnI. Indood, fho CIork of Monfgomory Counfy Is curronfIy
bound by nn ordor of fho CommonwonIfh Courf fo comIy wIfh hIs
mInIsforInI dufy fo onforco fho Inw. O#BB#%>&,/"D =5 S,%&<, o. 3?9
M.. 20l3, sII o. nf 25, 33. An InconsIsfonf sfnfo of nffnIrs wIII Iond fo
furfhor IIfIgnfIon fo comoI fhoso cIorks fhnf confInuo fo onforco fho
CommonwonIfh`s Inws fo comorf wIfh nny ofonfInI judgmonf of fhIs
Courf. In ordor fo nvoId such n sfnfo of chnos, ns fho 3',% Courf uf
If, InInfIffs musf joIn nII nocossnry nrfIosnII CIorks of Orhnns`
5l
Courf. Absonf fho unjoInod CIorks of Orhnns` Courf, fhIs Courf cnnnof
grnnf fuII roIIof. Indood grnnfIng InInfIffs roIIof nbsonf fho unjoInod
CIorks wouId rosuIf In fho nrfInI or 'hoIIow` rnfhor fhnn comIofo
roIIof fhnf !uIo l9 wns dosIgnod fo rovonf. Q&%5 3&)$,K"#$.&< O#5, 500
I.3d nf 3l5. !oIIof grnnfod In fho nbsonco of fho unjoInod CIorks wouId
Ionvo|] fho confrovorsy In such n condIfIon fhnf Ifs fInnI formInnfIon
mny bo whoIIy InconsIsfonf wIfh oquIfy nnd good conscIonco. 8"&&/
4,//&' !H"D5, 809 I.2d nf l0ll.
Iocnuso nII CIorks of Orhnns` Courf nro nocossnry !uIo l9-
nrfIos, undor I!CI l2(b)(?) fhIs Courf shouId dIsmIss fho IInInfIffs`
comInInf for fnIIuro fo joIn nocossnry nrfIos.
,-",/')!-"
Ior fho forogoIng ronsons, ofondnnf IofrIIIo rosocffuIIy movos
fo dIsmIss InInfIffs` comInInf.
52
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,&+$!0!,*$& -0 ^-+( ,-'"$
I horoby corfIfy, ursunnf fo !ocnI !uIo ?.8(b)(2), nnd fhIs Courf`s
Ocfobor 3, 20l3ordor, Issuod undor !ocnI !uIo ?.8(b)(3) nnd grnnfIng
ofondnnf IofrIIIo`s MofIon for !onvo fo Ixcood Word !ImIfnfIon, ICI
o. 32, fhnf fho forogoIng brIof Is 9,950 words ns cnIcuInfod by
MIcrosoff Word, fho word-rocossIng sysfom usod fo ronro fho brIof.
s/ 6,"D,% *5 E#A
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54

,&+$!0!,*$& -0 )&+3!,&
I horoby corfIfy fhnf on fhIs ?fh dny of Ocfobor, 20l3, I
oIocfronIcnIIy fIIod fho forogoIng ofondnnf IofrIIIo`s IrIof In Suorf of
MofIon fo IsmIss IInInfIffs` ComInInf for InIIuro fo Sfnfo n CInIm
!ndor Iod. !. CIv. I. l2(b)(6) nnd InIIuro fo JoIn InrfIos !ndor Iod. !.
CIv. I. l2(b)(?) nnd l9, wIfh fho CIork of Courf usIng fho ICI sysfom,
whIch wIII offocfunfo sorvIco of fhIs fIIIng on fho foIIowIng ICI-
rogIsforod counsoI by oornfIon of fho Courf`s oIocfronIc fIIIng sysfom:
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Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l-l Filed l0/07/l3 Page l of 79
EXHIBIT A
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l-l Filed l0/07/l3 Page 2 of 79
I
!"#$%$& ( ) *+%,- ./ 0.1&-1&2
? In. Sfnf. Ann. 604 (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... l?
l? In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 506 (Wosf 20l3) .............................................. 26
l8 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 3209 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 24
l8 In. Sfnf. Ann. 4?3l (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... l5
20 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 2l04 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 2l
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 49 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................................ 5
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 82 (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... l0
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 222 (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... 8
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 259 (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ l2
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 26l (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... 6
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 265 (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... ?
II
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 384 (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... ?
2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 39l (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... 9
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. l?02 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 24
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 2?ll (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 23
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 3?06 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 25
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 4l02 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 25
23 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 638l (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 26
25 In. Sfnf. Ann. 32l (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ ll
25 In. Sfnf. Ann. 28l4 (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... l5
35 In. Sfnf. Ann. l680.405c (Wosf 20l3) .............................................. l6
39 In. Sfnf. Ann. 28l (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... 6
42 In. Sfnf. Ann. 254 (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ 23
42 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 59l4 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 2l
42 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 5926 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 22
III
42 In. Cons. Sfnf. Ann. 592? (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ 22
43 In. Sfnf. Ann. 2?4 (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ ll
43 In. Sfnf. Ann. 804 (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ l4
46 In. Sfnf. Ann. l9l (Wosf 20l3) .......................................................... 8
5l In. Sfnf. Ann. 20l25 (Wosf 20l3) .................................................... l9
52 In. Sfnf. Ann. l4l9 (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... l0
53 In. Sfnf. Ann. 6924.30l.l (Wosf 20l3) ............................................ l8
53 In. Sfnf. Ann. 236l8 (Wosf) ............................................................. l3
62 In. Sfnf. Ann. 233l (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... l4
69 In. Sfnf. Ann. 54l (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ l2
?l In. Sfnf. Ann. l??0.l (Wosf 20l3) ................................................... l?
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. 3402-308 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................... l3
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. 3402-40l (Wosf 20l3) ............................................... l4
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. 5860.308 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................... l6
Iv
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. ?309 (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... l9
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. ?325 (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... 20
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. ?33l (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... 20
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. 8l02-C.3 (Wosf 20l3) ............................................... 20
?2 In. Sfnf. Ann. 9lll (Wosf 20l3) ...................................................... 2l
?? In. Sfnf. Ann. 562 (Wosf 20l3) ........................................................ ll

5
l. l??0, Iob. 24, l Sm.!. 30?, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann.
254 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (o grnnf, bnrgnIn nnd snIo, Ionso, roIonso, fooffmonf, dood,
convoynnco or nssurnnco whnfsoovor, horofoforo bonn fIdo
mndo nnd oxocufod by husbnnd nnd wIfo In mnnnor
nforosnId . . . shnII bo doomod, hoId or ndjudgod InvnIId or
dofocfIvo In Inw . . . buf fhnf nII . . . nro horoby docInrod fo bo,
good nnd vnIId In Inw for frnnsforrIng nnd nssIng fho
osfnfos, rIghfs, fIfIos nnd Inforosfs of such husbnnd nnd wIfo.
. .);
2. l??0, Iob. 24, l Sm.!. 30?, 3 !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann.
49 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (AII doods nnd convoynncos mndo nnd oxocufod by husbnnd
nnd wIfo, nof rosIdIng wIfhIn fhIs rovInco, nnd broughf
hIfhor fo bo rocordod In fho counfy whoro fho Innds IIo . .
.shnII bo ns vnIId nnd offocfunI In Inw ns If fho snmo hnd
boon mndo nnd ncknowIodgod In mnnnor nforosnId . . .);
6
3. l836, Jun. l6, I.!. ?29, 3? !"#$%$&# () 39 In. Sfnf. Ann. 28l
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (IorsonnI roorfy of fho wIfo of nny such InsoIvonf, whIch
shnII nof hnvo boon roducod by hIm Info ossossIon,
rovIousIy fo hIs nssIgnmonf ns nforosnId, shnII nof bo
doomod fo vosf In fho snId frusfoos, buf fho bonofIcInI
Inforosf In fho snmo shnII romnIn fo such wIfo. . .);
4. l840, Ar. l6, I.!. 35?, l5 !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 26l
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (Any nnd ovory grnnf, bnrgnIn nnd snIo, roIonso, or ofhor
dood of convoynnco or nssurnnco of nny Innds, fonomonfs or
horodIfnmonfs In fhIs commonwonIfh, horofoforo bonn fIdo
mndo, oxocufod nnd doIIvorod by husbnnd nnd wIfo, wIfhIn
nny ofhor of fho !nIfod Sfnfos, whoro fho ncknowIodgmonf
of fho oxocufIon fhoroof hns boon fnkon nnd corfIfIod by nny
offIcor or offIcors In nny of fho sfnfos whoro mndo nnd
oxocufod . . . shnII bo doomod nnd ndjudgod fo bo ns good,
vnIId nnd offocfunI In Inw for frnnsforrIng, nssIng nnd
?
convoyIng fho osfnfo, rIghf, fIfIo nnd Inforosf of such
husbnnd nnd wIfo . . .);
5. l854, Mny 5, I.!. 5?2, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 265
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (Any nnd ovory dood of grnnf, bnrgnIn nnd snIo, roIonso, or
ofhor dood of convoynnco or nssurnnco of nny Innds,
fonomonfs or horodIfnmonfs In fhIs commonwonIfh,
horofoforo bonn fIdo mndo, oxocufod nnd doIIvorod by
husbnnd nnd wIfo . . . wIfhIn nny ofhor of fho !nIfod Sfnfos .
. . shnII bo doomod nnd ndjudgod fo bo ns good, vnIId nnd
offocfunI In Inw, for frnnsforrIng, nssIng nnd convoyIng fho
osfnfo, rIghf, fIfIo nnd Inforosf of such husbnnd nnd wIfo . .
.);
6. l854, oc. l4, I.!. ?24, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 384
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (AII Ioffors of nffornoy nufhorIzIng confrncfs fo bo mndo, fho
ndjusfmonf of nccounfs, fho snIo of sfocks nnd orsonnI
osfnfo, fho rocoIf of monoys, or fho dIschnrgo nnd
ncquIffnnco of IogncIos or dIsfrIbufIvo shnros whon oxocufod,
8
rovod or ncknowIodgod In ofhor sfnfos or foroIgn counfrIos,
by nny orson or husbnnd nnd wIfo. . .);
?. l859, Ar. 2, I.!. 352, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 222
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (AII nmbnssndors, mInIsfors IonIofonfInry, chnrgos
d'nffnIros, or ofhor orsons oxorcIsIng ubIIc mInIsforInI
funcfIons, duIy noInfod by fho !nIfod Sfnfos of AmorIcn,
shnII hnvo fuII owor nnd nufhorIfy fo fnko nII
ncknowIodgmonfs nnd roofs of nny doods, convoynncos,
soffIomonfs, morfgngos, ngroomonfs owors of nffornoy, or
ofhor Insfrumonfs undor sonI roInfIng fo ronI or orsonnI
osfnfo, mndo or oxocufod In nny foroIgn counfry or sfnfo, by
nny orson or orsons, or by husbnnd nnd wIfo. . .);
8. l868, Mny l, I.!. l06, l !"#$%$&# () 46 In. Sfnf. Ann. l9l
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (On ovory ncf for dIvorco from fho bonds of mnfrImony
nssod on fho nIIcnfIon of fho husbnnd, fho sum of ono
hundrod doIInrs |shnII bo nId fo fho fronsury of fho
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l-l Filed l0/07/l3 Page l0 of 79
9
commonwonIfh]; If on fho nIIcnfIon of fho wIfo, fho sum of
fIffy doIInrs.);
9. l8??, Mnr. 23, I.!. 29, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 224
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (In nII cnsos of fho snIo, convoynnco, morfgngo or ofhor
Insfrumonf of wrIfIng, horofoforo mndo or whIch mny bo
horonffor mndo by nny orson, or husbnnd nnd wIfo,
concornIng nny Innds, fonomonfs or horodIfnmonfs, or nny
osfnfo or Inforosf fhoroIn, IyIng or boIng wIfhIn fhIs
commonwonIfh . . . shnII bo vnIId fo nII Infonfs nnd urosos .
. .);
l0. l89?, Mny 25, I.!. 83, o. 63, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann.
39l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (AII roIonsos, confrncfs, Ioffors of nffornoy nnd ofhor
Insfrumonfs of wrIfIng whIch n mnrrIod womnn Is or shnII bo
nufhorIzod by Inw fo mnko nnd oxocufo wIfhouf fho joIndor
of hor husbnnd . . . mny bo rocordod In fho offIco for
rocordIng doods In fho roor counfy If fho snmo shnII hnvo
boon ncknowIodgod by hor wIfhouf hor husbnnd joInIng. . .);
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l-l Filed l0/07/l3 Page ll of 79
l0
ll. l90l, Ar. 4, I.!. 6?, o. 35, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann.
82 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (AcknowIodgmonfs of nny mnrrIod womnn of nny doods,
morfgngos or ofhor Insfrumonfs of wrIfIng, roquIrod by Inw
fo bo ncknowIodgod, shnII bo fnkon by nny judgo, jusfIco of
fho onco, nofnry ubIIc, or ofhor orson nufhorIzod by Inw
fo fnko ncknowIodgmonfs of doods, of coforn, In snmo
mnnnor nnd form ns fhough snId mnrrIod womnn woro fomo-
soIo; snId ncknowIodgmonf fo hnvo fho snmo forco nnd offocf
ns If fnkon sonrnfo nnd nnrf from fho husbnnd of snId
mnrrIod womnn.);
l2. l903, Ar. 22, I.!. 248, 8 !"#$%$&# () 52 In. Sfnf. Ann. l4l9
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (|T]ho wIvos of nII fho mon who nro oIIgIbIo fo |fho MInor`s]
homo. . . nnd who hnvo nffnInod fho ngo of fIffy-fIvo yonrs nro
oIIgIbIo fo IIvo In fhIs homo.).
ll
l3. l9l3, Jun. 4, I.!. 405, 2 !"#$%$&# () 43 In. Sfnf. Ann. 2?4
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (o such nssIgnmonf of, or ordor for, wngos or snInry fo bo
onrnod In fho fufuro, fo socuro n Ionn, shnII bo vnIId, whon
mndo by n mnrrIod mnn, unIoss fho wrIffon consonf of hIs
wIfo fo fho mnkIng of such nssIgnmonf or ordor Is nffnchod
fhorofo. . .);
l4. l9l5, Jun. 2, I.!. ?36, o. 338, 30? !"#$%$&# () ?? In. Sfnf.
Ann. 562 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (o comonsnfIon shnII bo nynbIo undor fhIs socfIon fo n
wIdow, unIoss sho wns IIvIng wIfh hor doconsod husbnnd nf
fho fImo of hIs donfh . . . |n]o comonsnfIon shnII bo nynbIo
undor fhIs socfIon fo n wIdowor, unIoss ho bo IncnnbIo of
soIf-suorf nf fho fImo of hIs wIfo`s donfh nnd bo nf such
fImo doondonf uon hor for suorf.);
l5. l9l9, JuI. 2l, I.!. l065, o. 432, l !"#$%$&# () 25 In. Sfnf.
Ann. 32l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Any orson omIoyod In fho sorvIco of fhIs Sfnfo or In fho
sorvIco of fho IodornI Covornmonf, nnd roquIrod fhoroby fo
l2
bo nbsonf from fho cIfy whoroIn ho rosIdod whon onforIng
such omIoymonf, hIs wIfo or hor husbnnd, shnII . . . bo
rogIsforod ns of fho dIsfrIcf whoroIn ho or sho shnII hnvo
rosIdod rIor fo onforIng such sorvIco.);
l6. l923, Mnrch 28, I.!. 45, l !"#$%$&# () 2l In. Sfnf. Ann. 259
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (docInrIng fhnf ro-l923 doods, morfgngos, or ofhor
Insfrumonf of wrIfIng rognrdIng Innd, osfnfos, ofc. fhnf woro
roorIy ncknowIodgod by husbnnd nnd wIfo boforo fho
nrorInfo orson nufhorIzod by Inw rIor nro vnIId for
frnnsforrIng, nssIng, nnd convoyIng fho osfnfo, rIghf, fIfIo,
nnd Inforosf of fho husbnnd nnd wIfo) (vnIIdnfos l??0, Iob.
24, l Sm.!. 30? nnd subsoquonf Inws fhnf rofor fo doods nnd
convoynncos mndo by husbnnd nnd wIfo);
l?. l92?, Mny l3, I.!. 984, l !"#$%$&# () 69 In. Sfnf. Ann. 54l
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (. . . n convoynnco of nn Inforosf In ronI roorfy |mny bo
mndo] by oIfhor husbnnd or wIfo wIfhouf fho joIndor of hIs or
hor souso fo husbnnd nnd wIfo ns fonnnfs by fho onfIrofIos,
l3
|or] by husbnnd nnd wIfo ns fonnnfs by fho onfIrofIos fo
oIfhor husbnnd or wIfo nIono. . .);
l8. l933, Mny 25, I.!. l050, l3 !"#$%$&# () 53 In. Sfnf. Ann.
236l8 (Wosf)
n. (If nny bonofIcInry of fho |IIromon !oIIof nnd IonsIon] fund
shnII bo nwnrdod n onsIon nnd shnII fhoronffor bo convIcfod
of foIony, or shnII bocomo nn hnbIfunI drunknrd, or shnII
conso fo cnro for nnd suorf hIs wIfo nnd fnmIIy, fhon, nnd
In nny such cnso, fho bonrd shnII hnvo owor, by n fwo-fhIrds
vofo, fo rovoko fho onsIon, or fo susond fho nymonf
fhoroof, or fo dIrocf nymonf of fho onsIon fo fho fnmIIy of
such bonofIcInry.);
l9. l935, JuI. l2, I.!. 9?0, o. 3l4, 308 !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf.
Ann. 3402-308 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (A husbnnd nnd wIfo IIvIng fogofhor shnII rocoIvo buf ono
orsonnI doducfIon. If such husbnnd nnd wIfo mnko
sonrnfo rofurns, fho orsonnI doducfIon mny bo fnkon by
oIfhor or dIvIdod bofwoon fhom.);
l4
20. l935, JuI. l2, I.!. 9?0, o. 3l4, 40l !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf.
Ann. 3402-40l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (If n husbnnd nnd wIfo IIvIng fogofhor hnvo nn nggrognfo
nof Incomo of ono fhousnnd fIvo hundrod doIInrs ($l,500.00)
or ovor . . . onch shnII mnko such n rofurn, or fho Incomo of
onch shnII bo IncIudod In n sIngIo joInf rofurn, In whIch cnso
fho fnx shnII bo comufod on fho nggrognfo Incomo.);
2l. l936, oc. 5, I.!. 289?, 404 !"#$%$&# () 43 In. Sfnf. Ann. 804
(Wosf 20l3)
n. (*As usod In fhIs nrngrnh fho form doondonf souso
monns nny IognIIy mnrrIod wIfo or husbnnd of fho oIIgIbIo
omIoyo |sIc] In quosfIon who, nf fho bogInnIng of such
IndIvIdunI`s curronf bonofIf yonr wns IIvIng wIfh nnd boIng
whoIIy or chIofIy suorfod by such IndIvIdunI.);
22. l93?, Jun. 24, I.!. 20l?, 50l !"#$%$&# () 62 In. Sfnf. Ann.
233l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Ioforo omnncInfIon, fho soffIomonf of n IogIfImnfo mInor
Is nnd romnIns fhnf of fho fnfhor, unIoss--(l) Tho fnfhor Is
dond nnd fho mofhor ncquIros n now soffIomonf, In whIch
l5
cnso If foIIows fhnf of fho mofhor; or (2) Tho fnfhor dosorfs
hIs fnmIIy, In whIch cnso If foIIows fhnf of fho mofhor; or (3)
Tho mofhor wIfhdrnws from cohnbIfnfIon wIfh fho husbnnd
on nccounf of hIs cruoIfy, InobrIofy or Inck of suorf, In
whIch cnso If foIIows fhnf of fho nronf hnvIng fho cusfody . .
.);
23. l93?, Jun. 3, I.!. l333, ?04 !"#$%$&# () 25 In. Sfnf. Ann.
28l4 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In doformInIng fho rosIdonco of n orson dosIrIng fo
rogIsfor or vofo . . .|f]ho Inco whoro fho fnmIIy of n mnrrIod
mnn or womnn rosIdos shnII bo consIdorod nnd hoId fo bo hIs
or hor Inco of rosIdonco, oxcof whoro fho husbnnd nnd wIfo
hnvo ncfunIIy sonrnfod nnd IIvo nnrf. . .);
24. l939, Jun. 24, I.!. 8?2, ?3l !"#$%$&# () l8 In. Sfnf. Ann.
4?3l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Whoovor, boIng n husbnnd or fnfhor, sonrnfos hImsoIf
from hIs wIfo or from hIs chIIdron or from wIfo nnd chIIdron,
wIfhouf ronsonnbIo cnuso, or wIIIfuIIy nogIocfs fo mnInfnIn
hIs wIfo or chIIdron, such wIfo or chIIdron boIng dosfIfufo, or
l6
boIng doondonf whoIIy or In nrf on fhoIr onrnIngs for
ndoqunfo suorf, Is guIIfy of n mIsdomonnor. . .);
25. l94?, JuI. ?, I.!. l368, 308 !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf. Ann.
5860.308 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In fho cnso of roorfy ownod by joInf fonnnfs, fonnnfs In
common, or husbnnd nnd wIfo ns fonnnfs by fho onfIrofIos,
fho buronu mny gIvo fho nofIco roquIrod by fhIs socfIon by
forwnrdIng onIy ono nofIco nddrossod fo such joInf fonnnfs,
fonnnfs In common or husbnnd nnd wIfo nf fho snmo osf
offIco nddross.);
26. l959, oc. 3, I.!. l688, o. 62l, 405-C !"#$%$&# () 35 In. Sfnf.
Ann. l680.405c (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In cnsos of joInf morfgngors who nro husbnnd nnd wIfo,
whoro onIy ono souso who Is nn occunnf of fho morfgngod
romIsos mnkos nIIcnfIon for nnd rocoIvos nssIsfnnco
undor fhIs nrfIcIo, fho IIon fo socuro ronymonf ns nforosnId
shnII bo n IIon on fho roorfy of IIko forco nnd offocf ns n
mochnnIc's IIon.);
l?
2?. l965, ov. 30, I.!. 84?, o. 356, 604 !"#$%$&# () ? In. Sfnf.
n. (Any such doosIf nccounf nnd nII Inforosf fhoroon mny bo
nId In whoIo or nrf uon fho chock, ordor or rocoIf of . . .
|f]ho survIvor of n husbnnd nnd wIfo In fho cnso of nn
nccounf In fhoIr joInf nnmos.);
28. l965, oc. 22, I.!. ll64, l !"#$%$&# () ?l In. Sfnf. Ann.
l??0.l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Tho wIdow of nny mombor of fho IonnsyIvnnIn Sfnfo
IoIIco, fho Sfnfo HIghwny InfroI or fho IonnsyIvnnIn Mofor
IoIIco whoso husbnnd dIod rIor fo Jnnunry l, l938, ns n
dIrocf nnd roxImnfo rosuIf of InjurIos rocoIvod In fho courso
of hIs omIoymonf, shnII . . . so Iong ns sho romnIns hIs
wIdow nnd doos nof romnrry, rocoIvo n monfhIy nymonf
oqunI fo fIffy orconf of fho monfhIy snInry of such mombor
nf fho fImo of hIs donfh.);
l8
29. l965, oc. 3l, I.!. l25?, 2 !"#$%$&# () 53 In. Sfnf. Ann.
6924.30l.l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Such IocnI nufhorIfIos shnII nof hnvo nufhorIfy by vIrfuo of
fhIs ncf: (l) To Iovy, nssoss nnd coIIocf or rovIdo for fho
IovyIng, nssossmonf nnd coIIocfIon of nny fnx . . . on n
frnnsfor bofwoon husbnnd nnd wIfo, or on n frnnsfor bofwoon
orsons who woro rovIousIy husbnnd nnd wIfo buf who hnvo
sInco boon dIvorcod rovIdod such frnnsfor Is mndo wIfhIn
fhroo monfhs of fho dnfo of fho grnnfIng of fho fInnI docroo In
dIvorco, or fho docroo of oquIfnbIo dIsfrIbufIon of mnrIfnI
roorfy, whIchovor Is Infor, nnd fho roorfy or Inforosf
fhoroIn, subjocf fo such frnnsfor, wns ncquIrod by fho
husbnnd nnd wIfo, or husbnnd or wIfo, rIor fo fho grnnfIng
of fho fInnI docroo In dIvorco, or on n frnnsfor bofwoon nronf
nnd chIId or fho souso of such n chIId, or bofwoon nronf
nnd frusfoo for fho bonofIf of n chIId or fho souso of such
chIId. . .);
l9
30. l968 JuI. l8, I.!. 405, o. l83, 5 !"#$%$&# () 5l In. Sfnf. Ann.
20l25 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In fho cnso of donfh or fhoso mIssIng In ncfIon, who hnvo
nof boon docInrod dond or cnfurod, |nymonf shnII bo mndo
by fho Adjufnnf ConornI] fo fho . . .survIvIng wIfo or
unromnrrIod wIdow If fho wIfo or wIdow wns IIvIng wIfh fho
vofornn nf fho fImo of hIs donfh or donrfuro. . .);
3l. l9?l, Mnr. 4, I.!. 6, o. 2, 309 !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf. Ann.
?309 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (If fho Incomo of husbnnd or wIfo who nro bofh nonrosIdonfs
of fhIs CommonwonIfh nnd nro subjocf fo fnx undor fhIs
nrfIcIo Is doformInod on n sonrnfoIy fIIod rofurn, fhoIr
Incomos from sourcos wIfhIn fhIs CommonwonIfh shnII bo
sonrnfoIy doformInod. . . If oIfhor husbnnd or wIfo Is n
nonrosIdonf nnd fho ofhor n rosIdonf, sonrnfo fnxos shnII bo
doformInod on fhoIr sonrnfo Incomos on such forms ns fho
donrfmonf shnII roscrIbo . . .);
Case l:l3-cv-0l86l-JEJ Document 4l-l Filed l0/07/l3 Page 2l of 79
20
32. l9?l, Mnr. 4, I.!. 6, o. 2, 325 !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf. Ann.
?325 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (A husbnnd nnd wIfo mny mnko n joInf docInrnfIon of
osfImnfod fnx horoundor ns If fhoy woro ono fnxnyor, In
whIch cnso fho IInbIIIfy wIfh rosocf fo fho osfImnfod fnx
shnII bo joInf nnd sovornI. If n joInf docInrnfIon Is mndo buf
husbnnd nnd wIfo oIocf fo doformIno fhoIr fnxos sonrnfoIy,
fho osfImnfod fnx for such yonr mny bo fronfod ns fho
osfImnfod fnx of oIfhor husbnnd or wIfo, or mny bo dIvIdod
bofwoon fhom, ns fhoy mny oIocf.);
33. l9?l, Mnr. 4, I.!. 6, o. 2, 33l !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf. Ann.
?33l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (If fho Incomo fnx IInbIIIfIos of husbnnd nnd wIfo nro
doformInod on n joInf rofurn, fhoIr fnx IInbIIIfIos shnII bo
joInf nnd sovornI.);
34. l9?l, Mnr. 4, I.!. 6, o. 2, ll02-C.3 !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf.
Ann. 8l02-C.3 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Tho fnx Imosod by socfIon ll02-Cl shnII nof bo Imosod
uon: . . . (6) A frnnsfor bofwoon husbnnd nnd wIfo, bofwoon
2l
orsons who woro rovIousIy husbnnd nnd wIfo who hnvo
sInco boon dIvorcod, rovIdod fho roorfy or Inforosf
fhoroIn subjocf fo such frnnsfor wns ncquIrod by fho husbnnd
nnd wIfo or husbnnd or wIfo rIor fo fho grnnfIng of fho fInnI
docroo In dIvorco. . .);
35. l9?l, Mnr. 4, I.!. 6, o. 2, 2lll !"#$%$&# () ?2 In. Sfnf. Ann.
9lll (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Iroorfy ownod by husbnnd nnd wIfo wIfh rIghf of
survIvorshI Is oxomf from InhorIfnnco fnx.);
36. l9?2, Jun. 30, I.!. 508, o. l64, 2 !"#$%$&# () 20 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 2l04 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Whon ronI or orsonnI osfnfo or shnros fhoroIn shnII nss fo
fwo or moro orsons, fhoy shnII fnko If ns fonnnfs In
common, oxcof fhnf If If shnII nss fo n husbnnd nnd wIfo
fhoy shnII fnko If ns fonnnfs by fho onfIrofIos.);
3?. l9?6, JuIy 9, I.!. 586, o. l42, 2 !"#$%$&# () 42 In. Cons.
n. (. . . noIfhor husbnnd nor wIfo shnII bo comofonf or
ormIffod fo fosfIfy fo confIdonfInI communIcnfIons mndo by
22
ono fo fho ofhor. . .) (subsfnnfInIIy n roonncfmonf of ncf of
l88?, Mny 23, I.!. l58, o. 89, 2(c));
38. l9?6, JuI. 9, I.!. 586, o. l42, 2 !"#$%$&# () 42 In. Cons. Sfnf.
Ann. 5926 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In nII cIvII ncfIons broughf by oIfhor fho husbnnd or wIfo,
oIfhor fho husbnnd or fho wIfo shnII bo n comofonf wIfnoss
In robuffnI, whon hIs or hor chnrncfor or conducf Is nffnckod
uon fho frInI fhoroof, buf onIy In rognrd fo fho mnffor of hIs
or hor chnrncfor or conducf.) (roonncfmonf of ncf of l90?,
Mny 8, I.!. l84, o. l46, l);
39. l9?6, JuI. 9, I.!. 586, o. l42, 2 !"#$%$&# () 42 In. Cons. Sfnf.
Ann. 592? (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In nny ncfIon broughf by oIfhor fho husbnnd or wIfo fo
rofocf nnd rocovor fho sonrnfo roorfy of oIfhor, bofh
shnII bo fuIIy comofonf wIfnossos. . .) (subsfnnfInIIy n
roonncfmonf of l893, Jun. 8, I.!. 344, o. 284, 4);
23
40. l9?6, JuI. 9, I.!. 586, o. l42, 2.2l !"#$%$&# () 42 In. Sfnf.
n. (In n cIvII mnffor noIfhor husbnnd nor wIfo shnII bo
comofonf or ormIffod fo fosfIfy ngnInsf onch ofhor)
(subsfnnfInIIy n roonncfmonf of l88?, Mny 23, I.!. l58, o.
89, 5(c));
4l. l980, Ocf. l5 I.!. 934, o. l63, l !"#$%$&# () 23 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 2?ll (Wosf 20l3)
n. (Tho consonf of fho husbnnd of fho mofhor shnII nof bo
nocossnry |for ndofIon] If, nffor nofIco fo fho husbnnd, If Is
rovod fo fho snfIsfncfIon of fho courf by ovIdonco, IncIudIng
fosfImony of fho nnfurnI mofhor, fhnf fho husbnnd of fho
nnfurnI mofhor Is nof fho nnfurnI fnfhor of fho chIId. Absonf
such roof, fho consonf of n formor husbnnd of fho nnfurnI
mofhor shnII bo roquIrod If ho wns fho husbnnd of fho
nnfurnI mofhor nf nny fImo wIfhIn ono yonr rIor fo fho bIrfh
of fho ndofoo.);
24
42. l989, ov. l?, I.!. 592, o. 64, 3 !"#$%$&# () l8 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 3209 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (In ordor fo furfhor fho CommonwonIfh`s Inforosf In
romofIng fho InfogrIfy of fho mnrIfnI roInfIonshI nnd fo
rofocf n souso`s Inforosfs In hnvIng chIIdron wIfhIn
mnrrIngo nnd In rofocfIng fho ronnfnI IIfo of fhnf souso`s
chIId, no hysIcInn shnII orform nn nborfIon on n mnrrIod
womnn, oxcof ns rovIdod In subsocfIons (b) nnd (c), unIoss
ho or sho hns rocoIvod n sIgnod sfnfomonf . . . from fho
womnn uon whom fho nborfIon Is fo bo orformod, fhnf sho
hns nofIfIod hor souso fhnf sho Is nbouf fo undorgo nn
nborfIon.);
43. l990, oc. l9, I.!. l240, o. 206, 2 !"#$%$&# () 23 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. l?02 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (If n mnrrIod orson, durIng fho IIfofImo of fho ofhor orson
wIfh whom fho mnrrIngo Is In forco, onfors Info n subsoquonf
mnrrIngo ursunnf fo fho roquIromonfs of fhIs nrf nnd fho
nrfIos fo fho mnrrIngo IIvo fogofhor fhoronffor ns husbnnd
nnd wIfo . . . fhoy shnII, nffor fho ImodImonf fo fhoIr
25
mnrrIngo hns boon romovod by fho donfh of fho ofhor nrfy
fo fho formor mnrrIngo or by nnnuImonf or dIvorco, If fhoy
confInuo fo IIvo fogofhor ns husbnnd nnd wIfo In good fnIfh
on fho nrf of ono of fhom, bo hoId fo hnvo boon IognIIy
mnrrIod from nnd ImmodInfoIy nffor fho dnfo of donfh or fho
dnfo of fho docroo of nnnuImonf or dIvorco.);
44. l990, oc. l9, I.!. l240, o. 206, 2 !"#$%$&# () 23 In. Cons.
n. (In nII cnsos whoro dobfs nro confrncfod for nocossnrIos by
oIfhor souso for fho suorf nnd mnInfonnnco of fho fnmIIy,
If shnII bo InwfuI for fho crodIfor In fhIs cnso fo InsfIfufo suIf
ngnInsf fho husbnnd nnd wIfo for fho rIco of such
nocossnrIos. . .) (dorIvod from l848, Ar. ll, I.!. 536, 8);
45. l990, oc. l9, I.!. l240, o. 206, 2 !"#$%$&# () 23 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 3?06 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (o ofIfIonor Is onfIfIod fo rocoIvo nn nwnrd of nIImony
whoro fho ofIfIonor, subsoquonf fo fho dIvorco ursunnf fo
whIch nIImony Is boIng soughf, hns onforod Info cohnbIfnfIon
wIfh n orson of fho oosIfo sox who Is nof n mombor of fho
26
fnmIIy of fho ofIfIonor wIfhIn fho dogroos of
consnnguInIfy.) (CohnbIfnfIon |r]oquIros fhnf fwo orsons
of fho oosIfo sox rosIdo fogofhor In fho mnnnor of husbnnd
nnd wIfo, mufunIIy nssumIng fhoso rIghfs nnd dufIos usunIIy
nffondnnf uon fho mnrrIngo roInfIonshI. CohnbIfnfIon
mny bo shown by ovIdonco of fInnncInI, socInI, nnd soxunI
Infordoondonco, by n shnrIng of fho snmo rosIdonco, nnd by
ofhor monns. +$,,&- ./ +$,,&-0 352 In. Suor. 432, 439, 508
A.2d 550, 554 (l985));
46. l990, oc. l9, I.!. l240, o. 206, 2 !"#$%$&# () 23 In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 638l (Wosf 20l3)
n. (. . .n rIvIIogo of confIdonfInI communIcnfIon bofwoon
husbnnd nnd wIfo . . . shnII nof consfIfufo grounds for
oxcIudIng ovIdonco nf nny rocoodIng rognrdIng chIId nbuso
or fho cnuso of chIId nbuso.);
4?. l990, oc. l9, I.!. 834, o. l98, 302 !"#$%$&# () l? In. Cons.
Sfnf. Ann. 506 (Wosf 20l3)
n. (docInrIng nn oxcofIon for sousnI nccounfs: ThIs socfIon. . .
shnII nof bo consfruod fo nffocf shnro nccounfs In fho nnmos
2?
of n husbnnd nnd hIs wIfo.) (roonncfmonf of l96l, Sof. 20,
I.!. l548, o. 658, l6).
EXHIBIT B
EXHIBIT C
IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, :
Department of Health, :
Petitioner :
:
v. :
:
D. Bruce Hanes, in his official :
capacity as the Clerk of the Orphans :
Court of Montgomery County, : No. 379 M.D. 2013
Respondent : Argued: September 4, 2013

BEFORE: HONORABLE DAN PELLEGRINI, President Judge

OPINION NOT REPORTED

MEMORANDUM OPINION BY
PRESIDENT JUDGE PELLEGRINI FILED: September 12, 2013

Before the Court is the Department of Healths (Department) Amended
Application for Summary Relief pursuant to Pa. R.A.P. 1532(b)
1
(Application) for

1
Pa. R.A.P. 1532(b) states, in relevant part:

(b) Summary relief. At any time after the filing of a petition for
review in an original jurisdiction matter the court may on
application enter judgment if the right of the applicant is clear.

Note: [S]ubdivision (b) authorizes immediate disposition of a petition
for review, similar to the type of relief envisioned by the
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure regarding judgment on the
pleadings and peremptory and summary judgment. However, such
relief may be requested before the pleadings are closed where the
right of the applicant is clear.
(Footnote continued on next page)
2
peremptory judgment with respect to its Amended Petition for Review in the Nature
of an Action in Mandamus (Petition). For the reasons that follow, we grant the
Application and the mandamus relief sought in the Petition.

I.
A.
On June 26, 2013, in a case involving the marital exemption from the
federal estate tax under Section 2056(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C.
2056(a), the United States Supreme Court held that the federal Defense of Marriage
Acts definition of marriage as only as a legal union between a man and a woman,
and spouse as only as a person of the opposite sex who was a husband or wife, 1
U.S.C. 7, was unconstitutional as a deprivation of the liberty of the person protected
by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. See Windsor v. United
States, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 133 S. Ct. 2675, 2693-2996 (2013). Nevertheless, as the
Supreme Court explained:

[S]tate laws defining and regulating marriage, of course,
must respect the constitutional rights of persons; but,
subject to those guarantees, regulation of domestic
relations is an area that has long been regarded as a
virtually exclusive province of the States. Consistent

(continued)

An application for summary relief filed under Pa. R.A.P. 1532(b) is generally the same as a motion
for peremptory judgment filed in a mandamus action in the common pleas court. Barge v.
Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, 39 A.3d 530, 550 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2012). The
application will be granted where the right to such relief is clear, but will be denied where there are
material issues of fact in dispute or if it is not clear the applicant is entitled to judgment as a matter
of law. Id.

3
with this allocation of authority, the Federal Government,
through our history, has deferred to state-law policy
decisions with respect to domestic relations. The
significance of state responsibilities for the definition and
regulation of marriage dates to the Nations beginning; for
when the Constitution was adopted the common
understanding was that the domestic relations of husband
and wife and parent and child were matters reserved to the
States.

Id. at ___, 133 S. Ct. at 2691.
2
Because the regulation of marriage is a matter for the
states, the Supreme Court found that a federal definition of marriage that creates two

2
With respect to statutes regarding marriage in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court has explained:

The law for certain purposes regards marriage as initiated by a civil
contract, yet it is but a ceremonial ushering in a fundamental
institution of the state. The relation itself is founded in nature, and
like other natural rights of persons, becomes a subject of regulation
for the good of society. The social fabric is reared upon it, for
without properly regulated marriage, the welfare, order and happiness
of the state cannot be maintained. Where the greater interests of the
state demand it, marriage may be prohibited; for instance, within
certain degrees of consanguinity, as deleterious to the offspring and to
morals. For the same reason the law may dissolve it, and as a
question of power, there is no difference whether this be done by a
general or a special law.

Cronise v. Cronise, 54 Pa. 255, 262 (1867); see also Bacchetta v. Bacchetta, 498 Pa. 227, 232-33,
445 A.2d 1194, 1197 (1982) (Marriage, as creating the most important relation in life, as having
more to do with the morals and civilization of a people than any other institution, has always been
subject to the control of the legislature. That body prescribes the age at which parties may contract
to marry, the procedure or form essential to constitute marriage, the duties and obligations it creates,
its effects upon the property rights of both, present and prospective, and the acts which may
constitute grounds for its dissolution.) (citation omitted); In re Stulls Estate, 183 Pa. 625, 629-30,
39 A. 16, 17 (1898) (holding that the validity of a marriage is determined by the law of the place
where it was celebrated and if it is invalid there, it is invalid everywhere).

4
contradictory marriage regimes within the same State must fall. Id. at ___, 133
S. Ct. at 2694. Congress interfered with state sovereign choices about who may
be married by creating its own definition, relegating one set of marriages same-sex
marriages to the second-tier, making them unequal. Id.

B.
To declare the prohibition of same sex marriages in Pennsylvania
unconstitutional, on July 9, 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union of
Pennsylvania filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of a number of same-sex
couples against several Commonwealth officials including the Governor; the
Departments Secretary; the Attorney General; the Register of Wills of Washington
County; and the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court of Bucks County. See
Whitewood v. Corbett (No. 13-1861) (M.D. Pa.). The lawsuit challenges the
constitutionality of Section 1102 of the Marriage Law, 23 Pa. C.S. 1102, which
defines marriage as [a] civil contract by which one man and one woman take each
other for husband and wife, and Section 1704, 23 Pa. C.S. 1704, which provides:

It is hereby declared to be the strong and longstanding
public policy of this Commonwealth that marriage shall be
between one man and one woman. A marriage between
persons of the same sex which was entered into in another
state or foreign jurisdiction, even if valid where entered
into, shall be void in this Commonwealth.

5
The complaint alleges that the foregoing provisions violate the Due Process and
Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States
Constitution.
3

On July 11, 2013, the Attorney General issued a press release
announcing that her office would not defend the provisions of the Marriage Law in
challenged Whitewood because she deemed them to be wholly unconstitutional and
that it was her duty under the Commonwealth Attorneys Act
4
to authorize the Office

3
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, 1. Section 1 states, in pertinent part, [n]or shall any State
deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

4
Act of October 14, 1980, P.L. 950, as amended, 71 P.S. 732-101 732-506. Article 4,
Section 4.1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states, in pertinent part:

An Attorney General shall be the chief law officer of the
Commonwealth and shall exercise such powers and perform such
duties as may be imposed by law.

Pa. Const. art. IV, 4.1.

In turn, Section 204 of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act provides, in pertinent part:

(a) Legal advice.

(1) Upon the request of the Governor or the head of any
Commonwealth agency, the Attorney General shall furnish legal
advice concerning any matter or issue arising in connection with the
exercise of the official powers or performance of the official duties of
the Governor or agency. The Governor may request the advice of the
Attorney General concerning the constitutionality of legislation
presented to him for approval in order to aid him in the exercise of his
approval and veto powers and the advice, if given, shall not be
binding on the Governor.

6
of General Counsel
5
to defend the State in the litigation. See Press Release, Office of
Attorney General, Attorney General Kane will not defend DOMA (July 11, 2013),

(continued)

* * *

(3) It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to uphold and
defend the constitutionality of all statutes so as to prevent their
suspension or abrogation in the absence of a controlling decision by a
court of competent jurisdiction.

* * *

(c) Civil litigation; collection of debts.The Attorney General
may, upon determining that it is more efficient or otherwise in the
best interest of the Commonwealth, authorize the General Counsel or
the counsel for an independent agency to initiate, conduct or defend
any particular litigation or category of litigation in his stead.

71 P.S. 732-204(a)(1), (3), (c).

5
Section 301 of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act states, in pertinent part:

There is hereby established the Office of General Counsel which shall
be headed by a General Counsel appointed by the Governor to serve
at his pleasure who shall be the legal advisor to the Governor and who
shall:

(1) [A]ppoint for the operation of each executive agency such
chief counsel and assistant counsel as are necessary for the operation
of each executive agency.

(2) Supervise, coordinate and administer the legal services
provided by the chief counsel and assistant counsel for each
executive agency.

* * *

7
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=7043. On July 23, 2013, D. Bruce
Hanes (Hanes), Clerk of the Orphans Court of Montgomery County, issued a press
release announcing that he had decided to come down on the right side of history
and the law and was prepared to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple based
upon the advice of his solicitor, his analysis of the law, and the Attorney Generals
belief that the Marriage Law is unconstitutional. See
http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2013/07/23/main line times/news/doc51eeca
e35360b015385105.txt.

C.
On August 5, 2013, the Department filed the instant Petition and
Application, seeking a writ of mandamus to compel Hanes, in his official capacity as
Clerk of the Orphans Court of Montgomery County, to perform his duties as
established by Section 2774(a) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. 2774(a)
6
and

(continued)

(6) Initiate appropriate proceedings or defend the
Commonwealth or any executive agency when an action or matter has
been referred to the Attorney General and the Attorney General
refuses or fails to initiate appropriate proceedings or defend the
Commonwealth or executive agency.

71 P.S. 732-301(1), (2), (6). In turn, Section 102 defines executive agency, in pertinent part, as
[t]he departments of the Commonwealth government. 71 P.S. 732-102.

6
Section 2774(a) states, in pertinent part:

(a) General rule.There shall be an office of the clerk of the
orphans court division in each county of this Commonwealth, which
shall be supervised by the clerk of the orphans court division of the
county who shall exercise the powers, and perform the duties by
8
accordingly comply with all provisions of the apply the Marriage Law. The
Department contends that this Court has jurisdiction over the action pursuant to
Section 761(a) (1) and (2) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. 761(a)(1), (2),
7
because
Hanes is a commonwealth officer.

The Department alleges that it is entitled to mandamus relief because
Hanes is repeatedly and continuously acting in derogation of the Marriage Law
because, as of August 2, 2013, he has been issuing marriage licenses to same-sex
applicants and accepting the marriage certificates of same-sex couples stating that
their marriages have been lawfully performed under the Marriage Law. The
Department asserts that Hanes actions violate Sections 1102 and 1704 of the
Marriage Law, which limits marriage to opposite-sex couples, and Hanes duty to
perform ministerial duties and that Hanes may not issue marriage licenses to same-

(continued)

law vested in and imposed upon the clerk of the orphans court
division or the office of the clerk of the orphans court division.

See also Section 15 of the Schedule to Article 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Pa. Const. art. V
Sched., 15 (Until otherwise provided by law, the offices of prothonotary and clerk of courts shall
become the office of prothonotary and clerk of courts of the court of common pleas of the judicial
district, and the clerk of the orphans court shall become the clerk of the orphans court division
of the court of common pleas, and these officers shall continue to perform the duties of the office
and to maintain and be responsible for the records, books and dockets as heretofore.)

7
Section 761(a)(1) and (2) states that [t]he Commonwealth Court shall have original
jurisdiction of all civil actions or proceedings [a]gainst the Commonwealth government,
including any officer thereof acting in his official capacity [and b]y the Commonwealth
government.

9
sex applicants based on his personal opinion that the law is unconstitutional.
8
It also
contends that Hanes may be committing a misdemeanor under Section 411 of the
Second Class County Code
9
for each violation thereof for refusing to carry out his
public duty in accordance with the law.

Hanes filed a Response to the Departments Application in which he
raised in New Matter that the Application for mandamus should be denied for the
reasons set forth in his Preliminary Objections filed that same day. First, Hanes
alleges that he is a judicial officer under Section 2777 of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa.
C.S. 2777, and that his issuance of a marriage license is a judicial act, so that
exclusive jurisdiction over the instant mandamus action lies with the Supreme Court
under Section 721(2) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. 721(2), as he is a court[] of
inferior jurisdiction,
10
and this Court does not have jurisdiction to issue a writ of
mandamus to a court of inferior jurisdiction under Section 761(c), 42 Pa. C.S.
761(c),
11
in the absence of a pending appeal.
12

8
The Petition also alleged that Hanes had improperly waived the mandatory three-day
waiting period for the issuance of a license under Section 1303(a) of the Marriage Law. 23 Pa. C.S.
1303(a).

9
Act of July 28, 1953, P.L. 723, 16 P.S. 3411. Section 411 states, in pertinent part:

If any county officer neglects or refuses to perform any duty imposed
on him by the provisions of this act or by the provisions of any other
act , he shall, for each such neglect or refusal, be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500).

10
Section 721(2) states that [t]he Supreme Court shall have original but not exclusive
jurisdiction of all cases of [m]andamus or prohibition to courts of inferior jurisdiction.

11
Section 761(c) states, in relevant part:
10
Second, Hanes asserts that the Department does not have standing to
seek mandamus relief because only the Attorney General, the Montgomery County
District Attorney, or a private citizen who has suffered a special injury may seek to
enforce an officers public duty
13
and the Attorney General did not authorize the
Department to bring suit under Section 204(c) of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act.

(continued)

(c) Ancillary matters.The Commonwealth Court shall have
original jurisdiction in cases of mandamus to courts of inferior
jurisdiction where such relief is ancillary to matters within its
appellate jurisdiction.

12
Hanes also argues that we should transfer the case to the Supreme Court pursuant to
Section 5103(a) of the Judicial Code which states, in pertinent part:

(a) General rule.If a[] matter is taken to or brought in a court
of this Commonwealth which does not have jurisdiction of the
matter, the court shall not dismiss the matter, but shall transfer
the record thereof to the proper tribunal of this Commonwealth, where
the matter shall be treated as if originally filed in the transferee
tribunal on the date when the matter was first filed in a court of
this Commonwealth.

42 Pa. C.S. 5103(a). See also Pa. R.A.P. 751(a) (same); Pa. R.A.P. 751(b) ([A]n appeal or other
matter may be transferred from a court to another court under this rule by order of court or by order
of the prothonotary of any appellate court affected.).

13
See Dorris v. Lloyd, 375 Pa. 474, 476-77, 100 A.2d 924, 926 (1953) (The Mandamus Act
of June 8, 1893, P.L. 345, Section 4, 12 P.S. 1914, provides that When the writ is sought to
procure the enforcement of a public duty, the proceeding shall be prosecuted in the name of the
commonwealth on the relation of the attorney general: Provided however, That said proceeding, in
proper cases, shall be on the relation of the district attorney of the proper county: * * *.)
(emphasis in original). But cf. Section 2(a)[794] of the Judiciary Act Repealer Act (JARA), Act of
April 28, 1978, P.L. 202, 42 P.S. 20002(a)[794] ([E]xcept as otherwise expressly provided in this
subsection, the following acts and parts of acts are hereby repealed absolutely [A]ct of June 8.
1893 (P.L. 345, No. 285), referred to as the Mandamus Act of 1893 and entitled An act relating to
Mandamus.); Section 3(b) of the JARA, 42 P.S. 20003(b) ([G]eneral rules promulgated
11
Finally, Hanes contends that the Department fails to state a claim for
which mandamus relief may be granted, because the Department fails to state a claim
for which mandamus relief may be granted because the Department failed to show
that a Clerk of the Orphans Court does not have a discretion to determine the
constitutionality of the Marriage Act. Hanes argues that the Department must show
that Sections 1102 and 1704 of the Marriage Law are constitutional in order to
establish a clear right to relief, and furthermore, that the Department cannot do so
because the Marriage Laws exclusion of same-sex marriages violates the inalienable
right to marry solely based on gender in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to
the United States Constitution and Article 1, Sections 1, 26 and 28 of the
Pennsylvania Constitution.
14

(continued)

pursuant to the Constitution of Pennsylvania and the Judicial Code in effect on the effective date of
the repeal of a statute, shall prescribe and provide the practice and procedure with respect to the
enforcement of any right, remedy or immunity where the practice and procedure had been governed
by the repealed statute on the date of its repeal. If no such general rules are in effect with respect to
the repealed statute on the effective date of its repeal, the practice and procedure provided in the
repealed statute shall continue in full force and effect, as part of the common law of the
Commonwealth, until such general rules are promulgated.).

14
Pa. Const. art. I, 1, 26, 28. Article 1, Section 1 provides:

All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain
inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying
and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting
property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.

In turn, Article 1, Section 26 provides, Neither the Commonwealth nor any political
subdivision thereof shall deny to any person the enjoyment of any civil right, nor discriminate
against any person in the exercise of any civil right. Finally, Article 1, Section 28 states, Equality
of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
because of the sex of the individual.
12

D.
By order dated August 22, 2013, argument was limited to the following
issues encompassing the claims raised by Hanes in opposition to the Departments
Application:
15

Whether this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction
because Hanes is a Judicial Officer and his issuance of a
marriage license is a judicial act;

Whether the Department has standing and, if not,
what is the effect of the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals
delegation of the duty to defend the constitutionality of
Sections 1102 and 1704 of the Marriage Law; and

Whether the constitutionality of the act sought to be
enforced can be raised as a defense to a mandamus action.

On September 4, 2013, argument was heard on the foregoing issues. We
will now consider these issues seriately.
16

(continued)

15
We consolidate the issues argued before the Court in the interest of clarity.

16
On August 19, 2013, a group of 32 same-sex couples, designated as Putative Intervenors,
filed a Petition for Leave to Intervene Pursuant to Pa. R.A.P. 1531 seeking to intervene as
Respondents in this case. Putative Intervenors allege that Hanes has granted them marriage licenses
and that they have married in the Commonwealth or intend to be married and that this Courts
judgment on Hanes authority to issue the licenses may substantially impact their rights and the
validity of their marriages and marriage licenses.

13
II.
Relying on several cases, Hanes first argues that this Court cannot
decide this case because jurisdiction properly lies with the Supreme Court under
Section 721(2) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. 721(2), which provides that [t]he
Supreme Court shall have original but not exclusive jurisdiction of all cases of
Mandamus or prohibition to courts of inferior jurisdiction. (Emphasis added). He
argues that because he is a judicial officer, and his issuance of a marriage license
under the Marriage Law is a judicial act because he is issuing a marriage license on
behalf of the Orphans Court division of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery
County, that makes this mandamus action one directed to a court of inferior
jurisdiction conferring jurisdiction to the Supreme Court.

Hanes is clearly a county officer, because he serves as Register of Wills
and Clerk of Orphans Court, and as such performs only ministerial duties. Article 9,
Section 4 of the Pennsylvania Constitution provides that County officers shall
consist of commissioners, controllers or auditors, district attorneys, public defenders,
treasurers, sheriffs, registers of wills, recorders of deeds, prothonotaries, clerks of the
courts, and such others as may from time to time be provided by law. Pa. Const. art.
IX, 4. In counties of the second class such as Berks County or second class A, one
person holds the offices of both Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court
pursuant to Section 1302 of the Second Class County Code, 16 P.S. 4302. Under
Section 711(9) of the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code (Probate Code), 20
Pa. C.S. 711(9), [t]he jurisdiction of the court of common pleas over the following
shall be exercised through its orphans court division: Marriage licenses, as
provided by law. Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of Orphans Court.
14
However, Section 901 of the Probate Code, 20 Pa. C.S. 901, gives to the Register of
Wills [j]urisdiction of the probate of wills, the grant of letters to a personal
representative, and any other matter as provided by law.

Courts of the Commonwealth have held that the Register of Wills, when
accepting a will for probate, is acting in judicial capacity. See Commonwealth ex rel.
Winpenny v. Bunn, 71 Pa. 405, 412 (1872) (In nothing said herein do we mean to say
that the acts of the register are in no case judicial. They are always so[.]); In re
Sebiks Estate, 300 Pa. 45, 47, 150 A. 101, 102 (1930) ([A] register is a judge, and
the admission of a will to probate is a judicial decision, which can only be set aside
on appeal, and is unimpeachable in any other proceeding. (citing Holliday v. Ward,
19 Pa. 485, 489 (1852))); Walsh v. Tate, 444 Pa. 229, 236, 282 A.2d. 284, 288
(1971). Cole v. Wells, 406 Pa. 81, 90-91, 177 A.2d 77, 81 (1962) (The decree of
probate by the Register of Wills constitutes a judicial decree in rem[.]); Mangold v.
Neuman, 371 Pa. 496, 500, 91 A.2d 904, 906 (1952) (judicial decree of the register
of wills); ([T]he Register of Wills performs a judicial function and is closely
integrated into the judicial branch of government).

However, the courts have not held that the Clerk of Orphans Court acts
in a judicial capacity when keeping records. For example, in Millers Estate, 34 Pa.
Super. 385 (1907), the appellants contention that the authority of an Orphans Court
clerk to grant or refuse a marriage license is a judicial and not a ministerial act was
rejected by the Superior Court. Another case that Hanes cites to us is the unpublished
single-judge opinion in Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans Court of
Philadelphia License Marriage Bureau v. Office of Open Records (No. 1671 C.D.
15
2009, filed March 26, 2010). Because it is an unpublished single-judge opinion, it is
not precedential, Internal Operating procedure 414, but it is illustrative of how the
definitions in the applicable act determine whether the Clerk of Orphans Court
and/or Register of Wills can be considered a judicial officer in some circumstances
and not others. In that case, we were considering whether the Register of Wills was a
judicial agency for the purpose of determining whether the Office of Open Records
had jurisdiction over records withheld by the Register of Wills Office under the
Right-to-Know Law (RTKL).
17
We noted that Section 102 of the RTKL, 65 P.S.
67.102, defines judicial agency as [a] court of the Commonwealth or any other
entity or office of the unified judicial system, and that Section 102 of the Judicial
Code, 42 Pa. C.S. 102, includes administrative staff within the definition of
personnel of the system, which includes clerks of court and prothonotaries. Based
on the definitions in the RTKL, we held that the Office of Open Records could not
order the release of judicial records held by the Register of Wills and Clerk of the
Orphans Court of Philadelphia. Moreover, while personnel of the system are
deemed to be part of a judicial agency for purposes of the RTKL, we made an
explicit distinction between the judicial function of the Register of Wills with
respect to the probate of wills and the non-judicial function of the Clerk of Orphans
Court with respect to the issuance of marriage licenses. Id.
18

17
Act of February 14, 2008, P.L. 6, 65 P.S. 67.101-67.3104.

18
See also Retail Clerks International Association, Local 1357 v. Leonard, 450 F.Supp. 663,
666 (E.D. Pa. 1978) (The powers and duties of the Register of Wills are set forth in [Section 901 of
the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code, 20 Pa. C.S.] 901: (t)he register shall have jurisdiction
of the probate of wills, the grant of letters to a personal representative, and any other matter as
provided by law. It is apparent that the Registers judicial duties are confined to matters relative to
the probate of wills. Sebiks Estate[.] Thus, we find that the hiring and firing of employees is
16
As we looked to the definitions contained in the RTKL in Register of
Wills & Clerk of the Orphans Court of Philadelphia License Marriage Bureau, we
look to the definitions in the Judicial Code in deciding whether the Supreme Court
has exclusive jurisdiction of this matter under Section 721 as a mandamus action to a
court of inferior jurisdiction. 42 Pa. C.S. 721(2). Section 102 of the Judicial
Code defines court as [i]nclud[ing] any one or more of the judges of the court who
are authorized by general rule or rule of court, or by law or usage, to exercise the
powers of the court in the name of the court. 42 Pa. C.S. 102. Section 102 also
defines judicial officers as [j]udges, district justices and appointive judicial
officers. In contrast, county staff is defined as [s]ystem and related personnel
elected by the electorate of a countyThe term does not include judicial officers.
Id. In turn, system and related personnel is defined as including Registers of Wills
and Clerks of the Orphans Court division. Id. Thus, Hanes, as the Clerk of
Orphans Court and Register of Wills, is county staff and is not a judge or judicial
officer. Accordingly, he is not within the definition of court within the meaning of
Section 721(2) of the Judicial Code, and the Supreme Court does not have
jurisdiction of this mandamus action against him.

Finally, this is an action by the Department of Health, part of the
Executive Branch of the Commonwealth government. As such, the Department, with
counsel designated by the Office of General Counsel, may bring this action in the

(continued)

functionally not within the purview of his judicial duties and therefore not within the ambit of those
acts which entitle him to judicial immunity.).

17
Commonwealth Court pursuant to Section 761(a)(2) of the Judicial Code, which
grants the Commonwealth Court original jurisdiction of all civil actions or
proceedings:(2) By the Commonwealth government . 42 Pa. C.S. 761(a)(2).

In the alternative, Section 761(a)(1) of the Judicial Code provides that
the Commonwealth Court has original jurisdiction of all civil actions or proceedings
[a]gainst the Commonwealth government, including any officer thereof, acting in his
official capacity. 42 Pa. C.S. 761(a)(1). Section 102 of the Judicial Code also
defines Commonwealth government, in pertinent part, as [t]he courts and other
officers and agencies of the unified judicial system. 42 Pa. C.S. 102. Although
Hanes is not a judicial officer, he is named in his official capacity as Clerk of the
Orphans Court of Montgomery County. He is, therefore, an officer of the
Commonwealth government under Section 102 of the Judicial Code, and this Court
has original jurisdiction under Section 761(a)(1). Richardson v. Peters, 610 Pa. 365,
366-67, 19 A.3d 1047-48 (2011); Werner v. Zazyczny, 545 Pa. 570, 577 n.5, 681 A.2d
1331, 1335 n.5 (1996).
19

III.

19
See also Humphrey v. Dept of Corrections, 939 A.2d 987, 991 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2007), affd
in part, appeal denied in part, 598 Pa. 191, 955 A.2d 348 (2008) (When the petitioner seeks the
official performance of a ministerial act or mandatory duty, the petitioner properly sounds in
mandamus. Here Humphrey requests this Court to order [the Department] to return confiscated
UCC items and vacate DC-ADM 803-3. Therefore, we agree that Humphreys Petition requests
mandamus relief and will consider the Petition in this Courts original jurisdiction pursuant to
Section 761(a)(1) or the Judicial Code.).
18
Hanes next argues that the Department does not have standing
20
under
the former Mandamus Act of 1893 and the related cases
21
to initiate the instant
mandamus proceedings seeking to compel him to perform his public duty because
only the Attorney General, the Montgomery County District Attorney or a private
citizen with an interest independent of the public at large has such standing. Because
the Department is not the Attorney General or a private citizen, he contends that it
does not have standing to maintain this action.

While this action was not brought in the name of the Commonwealth,
the Attorney General, by letter dated August 30, 2013, authorized the Department of
Health to bring this action on her behalf pursuant to Section 204(c) of the
Commonwealth Attorneys Act, which allows the Office of General Counsel, who is
the counsel for all state agencies, to do so under Section 301(6) of that statute. When
authorizing the General Counsel to bring an action, as the Attorney General did here,
Section 204(c) of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act provides that the Office of
General Counsel or the counsel for the agency shall act in [her] stead. 71 P.S.

20
The concept of standing, in its accurate legal sense, is concerned only with the question
of who is entitled to make a legal challenge to the matter involved. Pennsylvania Game
Commission v. Department of Environmental Resources, 521 Pa. 121, 127, 555 A.2d 812, 815
(1989). Standing may be conferred by statute or by having an interest deserving of legal protection.
Id. at 128, 555 A.2d at 815. As a general matter, the core concept of standing is that a person who
is not adversely affected by the matter he seeks to challenge is not aggrieved thereby and has no
right to obtain a judicial resolution of his challenge. Id.

21
See Dombroski v. City of Philadelphia, 431 Pa. 199, 245 A.2d 238 (1968); Dorris. Hanes
also cites Pittsburgh Palisades Park, LLC v. Commonwealth, 585 Pa. 196, 888 A.2d 655 (2005).
However, that case was not a mandamus action seeking to compel the performance of a public duty;
the relief sought therein was for declaratory and injunctive relief from the purportedly
unconstitutional Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, 4 Pa. C.S. 1101-1904.

19
732-204(c). The net effect is that the Office of General Counsel has all the rights
and duties of the Attorney General, and since Hanes admits that the Attorney General
has standing, the Department of Health, through the Office of General Counsel, can
maintain this action to enforce a public duty.

Moreover, the Department of the Health has standing in its own right to
bring this action. As the Supreme Court has explained:

[W]hen the legislature statutorily invests an agency with
certain functions, duties, and responsibilities, the agency
has a legislatively conferred interest in such matters. From
this it must follow that, unless the legislature has provided
otherwise, such an agency has an implicit power to be a
litigant in matters touching upon its concerns. In such
circumstances the legislature has implicitly ordained that
such an agency is a proper party litigant, i.e., that it has
standing.
Pennsylvania Game Commission, 521 Pa. at 128, 555 A.2d at 815. See also
Commonwealth v. Beam, 567 Pa. 492, 497-500, 788 A.2d 357, 361-62 (2005)
(holding that the Department of Transportation had the implicit authority under the
Aviation Code, 74 Pa. C.S. 5101-6505, to initiate an action in equity to enjoin the
operation of an unlicensed airport where the injunctive relief sought was a restrained
and supervised form of administrative action and the operation of the unlicensed
airport was injurious to the public interest).

Section 2104(c) of the Administrative Code of 1929 (Administrative
Code)
22
empowers the Department [t]o see that laws requiring the registration of

22
Act of April 9, 1929, P.L. 177, as amended, 71 P.S. 534(c).

20
marriages are uniformly and thoroughly enforced throughout the State, and prompt
returns of such registrations made to the department. Thus, the General Assembly
has specifically conferred upon the Department the duty to ensure the uniform and
thorough enforcement of all provisions of the Marriage Law, including Section 1102,
defining marriage as [a] civil contract by which one man and one woman take each
other for husband and wife, and Section 1704 which makes same-sex marriages
entered into in foreign jurisdictions void within the Commonwealth. 23 Pa. C.S.
1102, 1704. In addition, the General Assembly has empowered the Department to
enforce Section 1301(a), which prohibits persons from being joined in marriage until
a license is obtained, and Section 1302, which requires a written and verified
application by both parties before a license is issued requiring the disclosure [a]ny
other facts necessary to determine whether legal impediment to the proposed
marriage exists. 23 Pa. C.S. 1301(a), 1302(a) (b) (6). Further, Section 1104
requires that [m]arriage licenses shall be uniform throughout this Commonwealth
as prescribed by the department, in a form that states, under Section 1310, that
[y]ou are hereby authorized to join together in holy state of matrimony, according to
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (name) and (name). 23 Pa. C.S.
1104, 1310. Finally, the Department has the duty to uniformly enforce the
provisions of Section 1307 which states that [t]he marriage license shall be issued if
it appears from properly completed applications on behalf of each of the parties to the
proposed marriage that there is no legal objection to the marriage. 23 Pa. C.S.
1307.
23

23
See, e.g., In re Adoption of R.B.F., 569 Pa. 269, 277, 803 A.2d 1195, 1199-1200 (2002)
([A]s noted, 23 Pa. C.S. 1704 provides that the Commonwealth only recognizes marriages
between one man and one woman. Thus, a same-sex partner cannot be the spouse of the legal
parent and therefore cannot attain the benefits of the spousal exception to relinquishment of parental
21

Based on the foregoing, it is clear that the Department is the proper party
with standing to initiate the instant mandamus proceeding to compel Hanes to
discharge his duties in compliance with the Marriage Law because the Department
possesses a substantial, direct and immediate interest in the subject matter of this
litigation pursuant to its authority under the Administrative Code and the Marriage
Law.

IV.
Hanes also contends that because he must determine whether to issue
marriage licenses, as provided by law, he has the discretion to determine whether
the Marriage Law is constitutional and that it would be unconstitutional as applied to
same-sex couples. With respect to whether Hanes duties as Clerk of the Orphans
Court of Montgomery County give him discretion to determine whether an act is
constitutional, our Supreme Court, albeit in relation to prothonotaries and clerks of
courts, has noted:

It is well settled in the intermediate appellate courts
of this Commonwealth that the role of the prothonotary of
the court of common pleas, while vitally important, is
purely ministerial. As a purely ministerial office, any
authority exercised by the prothonotary must derive from
either statute or rule of court. Further, as [t]he
prothonotary is merely the clerk of the court of Common

(continued)

rights [under Section 2903 of the Adoption Act, 23 Pa. C.S. 2903,] necessary for a valid consent to
adoption.).

22
Pleas[,] [h]e has no judicial powers, nor does he have power
to act as attorney for others by virtue of his office.
Consistent therewith, [t]he prothonotary is not an
administrative officer who has discretion to interpret
statutes. Thus, while playing an essential role in our court
system, the prothonotarys powers do not include the
judicial role of statutory interpretation.

As the prothonotary and the clerk of courts are
created by the same constitutional provision and have
substantially identical statutory grants of authority, we
conclude that the well-accepted limitations that the courts of
this Commonwealth have recognized in the prothonotarys
role are equally applicable to the clerk of courts.

In re Administrative Order No. 1-MD-2003, 594 Pa. 346, 360, 936 A.2d 1, 9 (2007).

The same applies to the clerks of the Orphans Court division of the
courts of common pleas, because they are also created and vested with the same
powers by the same constitutional provision, Section 15 of the Schedule to Article 5
of the Constitution.
24
Likewise, the statutory powers conferred upon the clerk of the
Orphans Court division under Section 2777 of the Judicial Code
25
are identical to

24
The Schedule to Article 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution is given the same force and
effect as the provisions contained in the main body of the Constitution. Commonwealth ex rel.
Brown v. Heck, 251 Pa. 39, 41, 95 A. 929, 930 (1915).

25
Section 2777 states, in pertinent part:

The office of the clerk of the orphans court division shall have the
power and duty to:

(1) Administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgments ,
but shall not be compelled to do so in any matter not pertaining to the
proper business of the office.

23
those conferred upon the prothonotary under Section 2737, 42 Pa. C.S. 2737, and
the clerk of courts under Section 2757, 42 Pa. C.S. 2757. Thus, the powers granted
under Section 2777 to Hanes as the Clerk of the Orphans Court:

[a]re clearly ministerial in nature. Nothing in this grant of
authority suggests the power to interpret statutes and to
challenge actions of the court that the clerk perceives to be
in opposition to a certain law. Thus, the clerk of courts, as a
purely ministerial office, has no discretion to interpret rules
and statutes.

In re Administrative Order No. 1-MD-2003, 594 Pa. at 361, 936 A.2d at 9; see also
Council of the City of Philadelphia v. Street, 856 A.2d 893, 896 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2004),
appeal denied, 583 Pa. 675, 876 A.2d 397 (2005) (A ministerial act is defined as
one which a public officer is required to perform upon a given state of facts in a
prescribed manner in obedience to the mandate of legal authority and without regard

(continued)

(2) Affix and attest the seal of the court to all the process thereof and
to the certifications and exemplifications of all documents and records
pertaining to the office of the clerk of the orphans court division and
the business of that division.

(3) Enter all orders of the court determined in the division.

(4) Enter all satisfactions of judgments entered in the office.

(5) Exercise the authority of the clerk of the orphans court division as
an officer of the court.

(6) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may
now or hereafter be vested in or imposed upon the office by law,
[or] order or rule of court.

24
to his own judgment or opinion concerning the propriety or impropriety of the act
performed.) (citations omitted).

Nor was any discretion given to the clerk when issuing the license under
the Marriage Law, which requires the clerk to issue a marriage license only if certain
criteria are met. Section 1302(a) provides that [n]o marriage license shall be issued
except upon written and verified application made by both of the parties intending to
marry, and 1302(b) outlines the contents thereof. 23 Pa. C.S. 1302(a) (b).
26

Section 1303(a) provides that no marriage license shall be issued prior to the third
day after application unless the Orphans Court authorizes a waiver of the time period
pursuant to subsection (b). 23 Pa. C.S. 1303(a) (b).
27
Section 1304(b) prohibits the
issuance of a license if either of the applicants is under 16 years of age unless the
Orphans Court determines that it is in the best interest of the applicant, and prohibits
issuance of a license if either of the applicants is under 18 years of age unless
consented to by the custodial parent. 23 Pa. C.S. 1304(b) (1), (2). Section 1304
further prohibits issuing a marriage license to incompetent persons unless the
Orphans Court decides that it is in the best interest of the applicant or society, to
applicants under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or to applicants within the

26
As noted above, under Section 1104, the Department prescribes the form of the
application. 23 Pa. C.S. 1104.

27
While Section 1303 merely refers to the court, Section 102 of the Domestic Relations
Code, 23 Pa. C.S. 102, defines court, in pertinent part, as [t]he court having jurisdiction over
the matter under Title 42 or as otherwise provided or prescribed by law. In turn, as noted
above, Section 711(19) of the Probate, Estates, and Fiduciaries Code provides that [j]urisdiction of
the court of common pleas over the following shall be exercised through its orphans court division:
[m]arriage licenses, as provided by law. 20 Pa. C.S. 711(19).

25
prohibited degrees of consanguinity. 23 Pa. C.S. 1304(c), (d), (e). Under Section
1306, Hanes is required to examine each applicant in person as to: (1) the legality of
the contemplated marriage; (2) any prior marriages and their dissolution; (3) any of
the Section 1304 restrictions; and (4) all information that must be furnished on the
application as prepared and approved by the Department. 23 Pa. C.S. 1306(a).
Finally, under Section 1307, Hanes is required to issue the marriage license subject to
the Section 1303(a) three-day waiting period, [i]f it appears from properly
completed applications on behalf of each of the parties to the proposed marriage that
there is no legal objection to the marriage. 23 Pa. C.S. 1307. Under Section
1308(a), 23 Pa. C.S. 1308(a), an applicant can appeal Hanes refusal to issue a
marriage license to the Orphans Court.

The foregoing statutory scheme, outlining the applicable requirements
and procedure for the issuance of a marriage license, does not authorize Hanes to
exercise any discretion or judgment with respect to its provisions. Rather, the
Marriage Law specifically requires Hanes to furnish and use the appropriate forms
and to issue the license if the statutory requirements have been met, subject to the
applicable exceptions and review by the Orphans Court. Such is not a discretionary
judicial act performed by the judicial officer of an inferior court. See In re
Administrative Order No. 1-MD-2003, 594 Pa. at 361, 936 A.2d at 9; In re Coats, 849
A.2d 254, 258 (Pa. Super. 2004) ([T]he orphans court clerk simply performs its
ministerial duty in accordance with the statutory mandate that requires applicants to
26
appear in person. The office of the clerk of the orphans court is not sui juris but is
dependent on county and legislative provisions to implement its function.).
28

V.
Hanes also argues that the Application should not be granted because the
Department has to establish a clear right to relief, and to do that, the Department must
show that the provisions in the Marriage Law limiting marriage to a man and a
woman are constitutional. The Department asserts that this is the same as raising a
counterclaim which is prohibited under the rules governing mandamus actions. See
Pa. R.C.P. No. 1096 (No counterclaim may be asserted.). Until a court has decided
that an act is unconstitutional, Hanes must enforce the law as written, and it is not a
defense to a mandamus action the law may be unconstitutional. A court can arrive at
the conclusion.

28
See also Rose Tree Media School District v. Department of Public Instruction, 431 Pa.
233, 237, 244 A.2d 754, 755-56 (1968) ([O]nce the Department has approved the amount of
reimbursable transportation costs there is no discretion left to the Department in arriving at the
actual amount which must be paid to the school district. After approval, the Department is
mandated by statute to remit an amount which is to be determined by applying the mechanical
formula of multiplying the cost of the approved reimbursable pupil transportation incurred during
the school year by the districts aid ratio. The application of that formula does not involve any
discretion but merely involves the ministerial duty of making proper computations in accordance
with the directives of the statute.); Lockyer v. City and County of San Francisco, 33 Cal. 4
th

1055, 1081-82, 95 P.3d 459, 472-73 (2004) ([U]nder the statutes reviewed above, the duties of the
county clerk and the county recorder at issue in this case properly are characterized as ministerial
rather than discretionary. When the substantive and procedural requirements established by the
state marriage statutes are satisfied, the county clerk and the county recorder each has the respective
mandatory duty to issue a marriage license and record a certificate of registry of marriage; in that
circumstance, the officials have no discretion to withhold a marriage license or refuse to record a
marriage certificate. By the same token, when the statutory requirements are not met, the county
clerk and the county recorder are not granted any discretion under the statutes to issue a marriage
license or register a certificate of registry of marriage.) (emphasis in original).

27
A.
All that a democratic form of government means is that we will be
governed democratically - is a process does not guarantee any particular outcome.
The citizens of the Commonwealth have consented to be governed under the terms of
our Constitution and the it provides how the Pennsylvania democracy works. Under
Article 2, Section 1, the legislative power of the Commonwealth, is vested in the
General Assembly. Pa. Const. art. II, 1. The legislative power is the power to
make, alter and repeal laws. Jubelirer v. Rendell, 598 Pa. 16, 41, 953 A.2d 514,
529 (2008). When the legislature enacts a law, under Article 4, Section 2, it is up to
the Governor to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Pa. Const. art. IV,
2. In addition, Article 5, Section 1 of the Constitution states:

The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in
a unified judicial system consisting of the Supreme Court,
the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court, courts of
common pleas, community courts, municipal and traffic
courts in the City of Philadelphia, such other courts as may
be provided by law and justices of the peace. All courts and
justices of the peace and their jurisdiction shall be in this
unified judicial system.

Pa. Const. art. V, 1, 2(a). Under our Constitution then, only the courts have the
power to determine the constitutionality of a statute. In re Investigation by Dauphin
County Grand Jury, 332 Pa. 342, 352-53, 2 A.2d 804, 807 (1938); Hetherington v.
McHale, 311 A.2d 162, 167 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1973), revd on other grounds, 458 Pa.
479, 329 A.2d 250 (1974).
29

29
As a corollary to this claim, Hanes contends that the Department cannot possess a clear
legal right to force him to abandon his oath of office and violate the United States and Pennsylvania
28

Governmental officials carry out the functions assigned to the office and
no more because when decision are reached that follow these and other constitutional
procedures, it fosters acceptance of a statute or decision even by those who even
strongly disagree. When public official dont perform their assigned tasks, it creates
the type of complication caused by the United States Attorney General decision
not to defend DOMA, which led the Supreme Court of the United States in Windsor
to spend as much time addressing that complication as it did on the merits of the
case. In this case, a clerk of courts has not been given the discretion to decide that a
law whether the statute he or she is charged to enforce is a good idea or bad one,
constitutional or not. Only courts have the power to make that decision.

B

(continued)

Constitutions while discharging the duties of his office. See Article 6, Section 3 of the
Pennsylvania Constitution, Pa. Const. art. IV, 3 ([A]ll county officers shall, before entering on the
duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before a
person authorized to administer oaths. I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and
defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I
will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity..). However, his oath of office requires him
to follow the law until a court decides it is unconstitutional. See, e.g., State ex rel. Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Co. v. State Board of Equalizers, 84 Fla. 592, 595-96, 94 So. 681, 683-84 (1922)
(The contention that the oath of a public official requiring him to obey the Constitution places
upon him the duty or obligation to determine whether an act is constitutional before he will obey it
is, I think without merit. The fallacy in it is that every act of the Legislature is presumptively
constitutional until judicially declared otherwise, and the oath of office to obey the Constitution
means to obey the Constitution, not as the officer decides, but as judicially determined. The
doctrine that the oath of office of a public official requires him to decide for himself whether or not
an act is constitutional before obeying it will lead to strange results, and set at naught other binding
provisions of the Constitution.).

29

While it is clear that Hanes did not have the power to decide on his own
that the law is unconstitutional and to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples,
the question now is whether he can take advantage of his improper action in doing so
and challenge the constitutionality of the Marriage Law as a defense in a mandamus
action to compel him to follow its provisions. To allow him to raise such a defense
would be the functional equivalent of a counterclaim, which is not permitted by
Pa. R.C.P. No. 1096.

Moreover, Commonwealth ex rel. Third School Dist. of the City of
Wilkes Barre v. James, 135 Pa. 480, 19 A. 950 (1890), an old case, like other cases
discussed here that were decided before the mandamus rules, analyzed what was
allowed in a mandamus action. In that case, the clerk of the former Court of Quarter
Sessions refused to receive and record the resolutions of school boards contrary to
statute. In defense of an application for mandamus seeking to compel him to comply
with the law and to perform his ministerial duty, the clerk argued that the applicable
statute was unconstitutional. In rejecting this defense, the Supreme Court explained:

It is too plain for argument that the appellant, who is the
clerk of the court of quarter sessions of Luzerne county, had
no right to decline to receive and record the resolutions of
the school boards of the third school-district, accepting of
the provisions of the act of 23d May, 1889. P. L. 274. The
act referred to requires him to receive and record these
papers. His duties were purely ministerial, and the court
below properly awarded the peremptory mandamus.

It is but just to say that his act in refusing does not appear to
have been one of insubordination, but was intended to test
the constitutionality of the said act of 1889. We are of the
opinion that the constitutional question cannot be raised in
30
this way. We really have no case before us, beyond the
mere refusal of the clerk to file the papers. This does not
require discussion. The order of the court below awarding
the peremptory mandamus is affirmed.

Id. at 482-83, 19 A. 950.
30

We note that in two other cases involving public officers with
discretionary powers, our Supreme Court addressed challenges to the constitutionality
of a statute as a defense in a mandamus action. In Commonwealth ex rel. Brown v.
Heck, 251 Pa. 39, 95 A. 929 (1915), our Supreme Court considered the
constitutionality of a statute altering the counties of a judicial district that was raised
as a defense in a mandamus action seeking to compel a common pleas court judge to
perform his judicial duties to administer an estate, without addressing or
distinguishing James. In Commonwealth ex rel. Carson v. Mathues, 210 Pa. 372, 59
A. 961 (1904), the Supreme Court affirmed a common pleas order granting
mandamus to compel the state treasurer to pay warrants for judicial salaries. The
Supreme Court did not address the trial courts analysis of James or the trial courts

30
See also The Crossings at Fleming Island Community Development District v. Echeverri,
991 So. 2d 793, 799 (Fla. 2008) (holding that there is no defensive posture exception to the
historical rule that a public official acting in his or her official capacity does not have standing to
challenge the validity of a statute); Li v. State, 338 Or. 376, 396-98, 110 P.3d 91, 101-02 (2005)
(holding that while executing his or her official duties, a governmental official must take care to
consider the meaning of the state and federal constitutions, but that does not grant official powers to
take actions and fashion remedies that would constitute ultra vires acts); Lockyer, 33 Cal.4
th
at
1082, 95 P.3d at 473 (holding that a local public official charged with the ministerial duty of
enforcing a statute does not have the authority to refuse to enforce the statute on the basis of the
officials view that it is unconstitutional in the absence of a judicial determination of
unconstitutionality).

31
holding that the treasurers standing as a high constitutional officer of the
Commonwealth who exercises discretion permitted him to defend on the
purported unconstitutionality of the statute setting the salaries. James, is nonetheless,
controlling because the instant case also involves a mandamus action to compel a
court clerk with no discretionary authority to perform his mandatory ministerial duty,
whereas the foregoing cases involved constitutional officers with discretionary
authority.

Because only the General Assembly may suspend its own statutes and
because only courts have the authority to determine the constitutionality of a statute,
and because all statutes are presumptively constitutional, a public official [i]s
without power or authority, even though he is of the opinion that a statute is
unconstitutional, to implement his opinion in such a manner as to effectively abrogate
or suspend such statute which is presumptively constitutional until declared otherwise
by the Judiciary. Hetherington, 311 A.2d at 168. Based on the foregoing, it is clear
that Hanes does not have standing to assert the purported unconstitutionality of the
Marriage Law as a defense to the instant Petition.

VI.
With respect to the Putative Intervenors Petition for Leave to
Intervene,
31
as outlined above, the constitutionality of the Marriage Law may not be

31
Pa. R.A.P. 1531(b) provides:

(b) Original jurisdiction petition for review proceedings. A person
not named as a respondent in an original jurisdiction petition for
review, who desires to intervene in a proceeding under this chapter,
may seek leave to intervene by filing an application for leave to
32
raised as a defense in the instant mandamus proceedings and will not be considered
by this Court. In addition, the legality of Hanes actions and any purported rights
obtained thereby are not at issue and may not be established in the instant mandamus
action. See, e.g., Barge, 39 A.3d at 545 (The purpose of mandamus is not to
establish legal rights, but to enforce those rights already established beyond
peradventure.) (citation omitted).
32
Moreover, there are no obstacles preventing
those adversely affected by the provisions of the Marriage Law or putatively
possessing rights based on Hanes actions, such as the Putative Intervenors, from
asserting their own rights in an appropriate forum. See Whitewood v. Corbett (No.
13-1861) (M.D. Pa.).

VII.
Based on the foregoing, we believe that the Department is entitled to the
requested summary relief in mandamus. As the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has
recently explained:

The writ of mandamus exists to compel official
performance of a ministerial act or mandatory duty. See
Delaware River Port Auth. v. Thornburgh, 508 Pa. 11, [20,]
493 A.2d 1351, 1355 (1985). Mandamus cannot issue to
compel performance of a discretionary act or to govern the

(continued)

intervene. The application shall contain a concise statement of the
interest of the applicant and the grounds upon which intervention is
sought.

32
See also Pa. R.C.P. No. 2329(1) ([A]n application for intervention may be refused, if
the claim or defense of the petitioner is not in subordination to and in recognition of the propriety of
the action.).
33
manner of performing [the] required act. Volunteer
Firemen's Relief Assn of City of Reading v. Minehart, 415
Pa. 305, [311,] 203 A.2d 476, 479 (1964). This Court may
issue a writ of mandamus where the petitioners have a clear
legal right, the responding public official has a
corresponding duty, and no other adequate and appropriate
remedy at law exists. Id.; see Board of Revision of Taxes v.
City of Philadelphia, 607 Pa. 104, [133,] 4 A.3d 610, 627
(2010). Moreover, mandamus is proper to compel the
performance of official duties whose scope is defined as a
result of the mandamus action litigation. Thornburgh, [508
Pa. at 20,] 493 A.2d at 1355. Thus, we have held that
mandamus will lie to compel action by an official where his
refusal to act in the requested way stems from his erroneous
interpretation of the law. Minehart, [415 Pa. at 311,] 203
A.2d at 479-80.

Fagan v. Smith, 615 Pa. 87, 90, 41 A.3d 816, 818 (2012).

As outlined above, Hanes has admittedly failed to comply with his
mandatory ministerial public duty under the Marriage Law by issuing marriage
licenses to same-sex couples, by accepting the marriage certificates of same-sex
couples, and by waiving the mandatory three-day waiting period, in violation of the
express provisions of the Marriage Law. Even if Hanes is correct in his view that
portions of the Marriage Law are unconstitutional, as noted above, the instant
mandamus action is not the proper forum in which such a determination may be
made. Barge. The proper method for those aggrieved is to bring a separate action in
the proper forum raising their challenges to the Marriage Law. Unless and until
either the General Assembly repeals or suspends the Marriage Law provisions or a
court of competent jurisdiction orders that the law is not to be obeyed or enforced, the
Marriage Law in its entirety is to be obeyed and enforced by all Commonwealth
public officials.
34

Accordingly, the Departments Amended Application for Summary
Relief for peremptory judgment in mandamus is granted; Hanes Preliminary
Objections and Putative Intervenors Petition for Leave to Intervene Pursuant to
Pa. R.A.P. 1531 are dismissed as moot.

_____________________________________
DAN PELLEGRINI, President Judge

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, :
Department of Health, :
Petitioner :
:
v. :
:
D. Bruce Hanes, in his official :
capacity as the Clerk of the Orphans :
Court of Montgomery County, : No. 379 M.D. 2013
Respondent :

O R D E R

AND NOW, this 12
th
day of September, 2013, the Department of
Healths Amended Application for Summary Relief for peremptory judgment in
mandamus is granted. D. Bruce Hanes, in his official capacity as the Clerk of the
Orphans Court of Montgomery County, is directed to comply with all provisions
of the Marriage Law, 23 Pa. C.S. 1101-1905, while discharging the duties of his
office, including the provisions of Sections 1102, 1303(a) and 1704, 23 Pa. C.S.
1102, 1303(a) and 1704, and he shall cease and desist from issuing marriage
licenses to same-sex applicants, from accepting the marriage certificates of same-
sex couples, and from waiving the mandatory three-day waiting period in violation
of the Marriage Law. The Preliminary Objections of D. Bruce Hanes and the
Petition for Leave to Intervene Pursuant to Pa. R.A.P. 1531 filed by Putative
Intervenors are dismissed as moot.

_________________________________
DAN PELLEGRINI, President Judge


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