New Jersey’s Supreme Court just ruled that all the benefits and privileges of marriage should be available to same-sex couples by the state constitution. This is the third state (after Massachusetts and Vermont) to grant gays special rights different from the rest of the population.

According to the 90 page ruling “[t]he Legislature must either amend the marriage statutes to include same-sex couples or create a parallel statutory structure, which will provide for, on equal terms, the rights and benefits enjoyed and burdens and obligations borne by married couples.”

The entire ruling can be found here.

Hat tip: How Appealing.

Update: Katheryn Lopez writes , “My quick understanding of: Same-sex couples have to be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits that married couples have. The name to be given to the same-sex arrangement is left to the democratic processes. ”