Arguments are scheduled for October in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Five same-sex couples, four married outside of Alaska and one unmarried couple, sued to overturn the ban in May. Alaska voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1998 defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
The state, in its response, said Alaska isn’t required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. State attorneys also argue that Alaska, as a sovereign state, has the right to define and regulate marriage.
