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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/21/heterosexual-couples-should-not-be-allowed-civil-partnerships-court-rules
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| Court rules against heterosexual couple who wanted civil partnership | Court rules against heterosexual couple who wanted civil partnership |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Heterosexual couples should not be allowed to enter into civil partnerships with one another, the court of appeal has ruled. | Heterosexual couples should not be allowed to enter into civil partnerships with one another, the court of appeal has ruled. |
| But one appeal court judge said the law needed to be changed immediately, while two other judges said the government could have longer to review the law. | |
| The decision follows a three-year legal campaign by two Londoners, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, who reject traditional marriage on the grounds that it is a “sexist” and “patriarchal” institution. | The decision follows a three-year legal campaign by two Londoners, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, who reject traditional marriage on the grounds that it is a “sexist” and “patriarchal” institution. |
| Denying them the right to enter into a civil partnership – a choice open to same-sex couples – was discriminatory, they had argued. | Denying them the right to enter into a civil partnership – a choice open to same-sex couples – was discriminatory, they had argued. |
| Keidan and Steinfeld lost by a majority of two to one in the appeal court judgment. | |
| All three judges, Lady Justice Arden, Lord Justice Briggs and Lord Justice Beatson, agreed that the discrimination against heterosexual couples could not last indefinitely. | All three judges, Lady Justice Arden, Lord Justice Briggs and Lord Justice Beatson, agreed that the discrimination against heterosexual couples could not last indefinitely. |
| Only Arden said the government needed to change the law immediately. The other two judges effectively said ministers can have longer to review the situation. | Only Arden said the government needed to change the law immediately. The other two judges effectively said ministers can have longer to review the situation. |
| Louise Whitfield, from the law firm Deighton Peirce Glynn who represented the couple, said: “This is very frustrating. It was such a narrow win for the government.“They all agreed that the government was living on borrowed time and that there had been a potential violation of their rights. | |
| “Lady Justice Arden said that the government had run out of time already. The other two judges, however, allowed the government a bit more time to consider the issue.” | |
| The Isle of Man is the only part of the British Isles that currently offers heterosexual couples the opportunity to enter into civil partnerships. | The Isle of Man is the only part of the British Isles that currently offers heterosexual couples the opportunity to enter into civil partnerships. |
| More details soon … | More details soon … |