States brief ~ Iowa Supreme Court refuses to address ruling that dissolved civil union   



Leading Friday's states brief, the Iowa Supreme Court today refused to address the ruling of a lower court that dissolved a Vermont civil union. The Supreme Court did not judge the merits of the legal claim made by conservative challengers, but instead found that the Iowa Family Policy Center, a church and several state legislators had suffered no injury and did not have standing to challenge the lower court's decision. In its opinion, the Court said, "We fail to see how the district court's action in dissolving a civil union of another couple harmed in any specific way these plaintiffs' marriages and for this reason, they have shown no legally recognized interest or personal stake in the underlying action." District Court Judge Jeffrey Neary ruled to terminate the civil union after one partner petitioned for divorce.