Dec 29, 2007Quickie Link: Judge Blocks Law Allowing Civil Unions in Oregon
By vanrozenheim
(USA) - A federal judge Friday blocked Oregon's new domestic partnership law for Gays and Lesbians from taking effect next week, allowing opponents to continue their efforts to try to get voters to overturn the law. The surprise ruling comes four days before the law would allow Gay couples to gain most of the same legal benefits of marriage. Couples across Oregon were planning to show up at county offices Wednesday to register as partners. But U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman ruled that they will have to wait. He set a Feb. 1 hearing to decide a lawsuit challenging the state's methods for verifying signatures on a November 2008 referendum.
