Same sex couple denied divorce

A lesbian couple from the US have been told that they cannot get a divorce in Rhode Island because their marriage is not recognised in the state.

Cassandra Ormiston and Margaret Chambers married in Massachusetts, the first US state to legalise same-sex marriages, three years ago but in 2006 they filed for a divorce.

However, Rhode Island's Supreme Court ruled on Friday, December 7th that the state's family court lacks the authority to grant them a marital separation because it only recognises a marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The women's lawyers had argued that they should only take into account whether or not Rhode Island recognise marriages performed in another state, as opposed to whether the couple were same-sex or not.

In a 3-2 decision, the court ruled that "the role of the judicial branch is not to make policy, but simply to determine the legislative intent".

There have been over 8,000 same-sex marriages in Massachusetts since 2004.

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