US court backs gay marriage

NOW that Massachusetts' highest court has declared that gay couples have the right to marry under the state constitution, the political debate begins over how the legislature should react.

In its 4-3 decision, the Supreme Judicial Court gave the legislature 180 days to rewrite the state's marriage laws for the benefit of gay couples.

"We declare that barring an individual from the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts constitution," Chief Justice Margaret Marshall wrote.