LEC真题解析 | 关于美国宪法与婚姻法平权问题发表时间：2025-11-12 14:58 真题演练 宪法部分 Regarding the nature and requirements of the marriage contract in the State of California, the California Civil Code at section 4100 states the following: “Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of the parties capable of making that contract is necessary. Consent alone will not constitute marriage; it must be followed by the issuance of a license and solemnization as authorized by this code, except as provided by Section 4213.” Jonathon and Joey are two males, 42 and 37 years of age, respectively, who have resided in San Francisco, California for the last nine years. Both of these men have been living together in a loving relationship unencumbered by the vestiges of a marriage contract for quite some time now. Jonathon, the older of the two, has wanted to get married for a least the last ten years. Jonathon just recently convinced Joey that, since they have been together for approximately twelve years now, it might be time for them to “get married” to express the permanency of their relationship. Just two months ago Jonathon and Joey went to the San Francisco County Building and requested the necessary paperwork to get the ball rolling on their marriage license. The clerk immediately informed the men that she could not prepare the paperwork for them as California Civil Code section 4100 allows marriages to be consummated only between a “man and a woman.” Both men were furious. They immediately contacted an attorney and filed the necessary papers challenging this law on constitutional grounds. As applied to Jonathon and Joey, the California statute is likely to be held____ A.Constitutional, because the statute promotes a compelling state interest. B.Constitutional, as a proper exercise of the state's police power. C.Constitutional, because it protects the welfare and morals of the citizens of the state. D.Unconstitutional, as violative of the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 试题来源：LEC考试官网 模拟真题
试题详解 简单来说，题目内容为：
问题是：该加州法律在宪法层面上是否有效？ 这道题属于美国宪法与婚姻法平权问题（Same-Sex Marriage & Equal Protection under the 14th Amendment）的经典考点。 考查的主要知识点包括： 1. Equal Protection Clause（平等保护条款）——《美国宪法》第十四修正案（Fourteenth Amendment）规定，任何州不得拒绝向任何人提供“法律上的平等保护”。 → 涉及是否对同性伴侣的不平等待遇构成违宪歧视。 2. Substantive Due Process（实体正当程序）——同样来源于第十四修正案，保护“婚姻自由”（freedom to marry）作为基本权利（fundamental right）。 → 参见 Loving v. Virginia (1967)：禁止跨种族婚姻的法律被判违宪。 3. 同婚平权的历史判例演进。 Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)：早期法院不承认同性行为的宪法保护； Lawrence v. Texas (2003)：推翻Bowers案，承认成年人的私人同性行为受宪法保护； United States v. Windsor (2013)：推翻《婚姻保护法》(DOMA) 的部分内容； Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)：确立同性婚姻为宪法所保障的基本权利，各州不得拒绝同性婚姻。 本题参考答案为D，以下是各选项分析。 A. Constitutional, because the statute promotes a compelling state interest. 在宪法严格审查下，若限制基本权利（如婚姻自由），必须证明有“压倒性（compelling）”的国家利益。但法院已明确指出，没有充分的国家利益能正当化对同性伴侣的婚姻限制。 所以A错误。 B. Constitutional, as a proper exercise of the state's police power. 州的“警察权”（police power）确实包括制定与婚姻相关的法律，但不能违反宪法。根据 Obergefell v. Hodges，此类州法若排除同性婚姻，即使基于警察权，也违宪。 所以不选B。 C. Constitutional, because it protects the welfare and morals of the citizens of the state. 这曾是旧时代法院维持“传统婚姻”的理由，但 Lawrence v. Texas一案明确指出，“道德反感”不能构成限制宪法权利的合法依据。 选项C也错误。 D. Unconstitutional, as violative of the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. ✅ 正确答案。 严格来说，Obergefell v. Hodges判决的核心依据是 Due Process Clause 与 Equal Protection Clause 的结合，但在传统多选题设定中，若选项中无这两者，则D项中提到的“Privileges and Immunities Clause”（特权与豁免条款）常被用作泛指十四修正案保护的基本权利（即使技术上略不精确）。 换句话说，此题考查方向在于同性婚姻受宪法保护，州法律禁止同性婚姻违宪。 这道题需要考生进一步了解、学习以下几点：
本题设置的陷阱在于，选项A、B、C都借“州权”或“公共利益”包装，但在2015年Obergefell v. Hodges一案之后，这些理由已不再被宪法接受； 选项D虽条文上略有瑕疵，但方向正确，即该州法律违反宪法保障的婚姻平等权。
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