Court recognizes another same-sex couple as legitimate family

RIGA - Earlier this week, the Administrative District Court recognized another same-sex couple as a legitimate family, as LETA found out on Friday.

Family physician and epidemiologist Antons Mozalevskis has posted on a social network part of the court ruling in favor of his and his partner's application. The court established that the two were civil partners in a family relationship within the meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution.

Article 110 of the Constitution stipulates that the State protects and supports marriage - a union between a man and a woman, the family, the rights of parents and rights of the child.

In the judgment, the court explains that there is no regulation in Latvia that would determine the legal framework of family relations between same-sex couples. Therefore the State has not fulfilled its obligation to ensure legal protection of such couples, arising from Article 110 of the Constitution and the principle of human dignity.

The court confirmed that the judgment can be appealed to the Administrative Regional Court within one month.

The Administrative District Court has so far recognized four same-sex couples as families.

As reported, Saeima has not been able to pass the bill on civil unions so far as the number of MPs voting on the bill did not constitute a quorum.