Nearly two dozen current and former Republican legislators are urging New Mexico's highest court to declare that state law prohibits the marriage of same-sex couples.
The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the legislators with the state Supreme Court in a case that could resolve whether marriage equality is legal in New Mexico.
Marriage equality supporters also filed written arguments with the court on Monday.
At issue is an Albuquerque judge's ruling last month that it's unconstitutional to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The Supreme Court plans an Oct. 23 hearing in the case.
The GOP lawmakers said anti-discrimination protections in the state constitution do not provide a legal right to marriage for same-sex couples. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and other groups disagree.
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