SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Puerto Rico can’t prohibit gay marriage.
The court overruled a federal judge who said a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing gay couples to marry anywhere in the United States does not apply on the island because it is a U.S. territory, and not a state.
The appeals court said Thursday that the district court misconstrued the law and directly contradicted its mandate.
Puerto Rico’s governor authorized gay marriage through an executive order shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in June 2015.
The U.S. territory also has extended other rights to same-sex couples, including child adoption.