Attorney General, Kanawha Co. Clerk Ask Judge to Dismiss W.Va. Gay Marriage Lawsuit

State and local officials are seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging West Virginia’s ban on gay marriage.
 
     The Charleston Gazette reports that the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office and Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick asked a federal judge this week to dismiss the case.

     New York-based gay rights group Lambda Legal filed the federal lawsuit in October on behalf of three same-sex couples and the child of one couple. The lawsuit contends West Virginia’s Defense of Marriage Act unfairly discriminates against same-sex couples and their children.
 
     A motion filed by assistant attorney general Julie Ann Warren contends that the plaintiffs have no legal basis to challenge the law.
 
     A separate motion filed by McCormick’s attorney says the matter should be handled by the state’s legislative process.