A district court in Iowa declared today that the state’s law barring same-sex couples from civil marriage is unconsitutional and said that:

“Couples, such as Plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage…by reason of the fact that both persons compromising such a couple are of the same sex.”

Gary Allen Seronko and Curtis Rethmeier, two of the plantiffs, have already submitted their applications (which take three days to process) and had them accepted.

I am so excited that these couples–and countless more like them across the state–will soon see their lifelong dreams come true. Congratulations to the justices who ruled on this matter and I hope that the Iowa Supreme Court similiarly recognizes the discriminatory and definitely unAmerican nature of marriage inequality.

CNN, Windy City Times, and Post-Bulletin (amongst other) report

CLARIFICATION: For those unfamiliar with the judicial process: The decision in Iowa was reached by a lower court.  It only affects the district in which it was handed down and it will be subject to appeal.  Judges may or may not issue a stay–which would put same-sex marriage on hold–until a final verdict is reached.