Bermuda top court reverses government's gay marriage ban

HAMILTON, Bermuda: Bermuda's top court ruled on Friday that legislation banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, rejecting a government bid to overturn an earlier court ruling that reached the same conclusion.

"In the judgment about to be handed down, we dismissed the appeal of the attorney general," Sir Scott Baker, president of the Bermuda Court of Appeal, told the crowded courtroom, sparking whoops of applause from gay rights supporters.

Baker was referring to an appeal lodged by the government against a June ruling by Bermuda's Supreme Court striking down the gay marriage ban passed by Bermudian lawmakers last year. The ban was later approved by the British governor.

The ruling may still be brought before the judicial committee of the Privy Council in London - the final court of appeal for British overseas territories like Bermuda.

In the meantime, same-sex marriages will be allowed to resume after a pause of several months following the enactment of Bermuda's Domestic Partnership Act, which reversed gay marriage rights in favor of domestic partnerships.

The government has 21 days to appeal the decision.

A government spokeswoman said that no decision had yet been made on whether it would do so.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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