(AgapePress) - The State of Georgia has defended traditional marriage by refusing to recognize the "civil union" of a lesbian couple.

Many pro-family advocates had feared that Vermont's legalization of same-sex unions could lead to other states being forced to recognize them, and would open the door to similar laws nationwide. But the George Supreme Court last week ruled unanimously to let stand a ruling from the Georgia Court of Appeals that a Vermont "civil union" is not the same as marriage -- and is not legal in Georgia.

Attorney Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel calls it a victory for traditional marriage, and a huge setback to the "same-sex marriage" movement.

"This is the first case of its kind in the country to address a Vermont civil union, a state Defense of Marriage act, and the federal Defense of Marriage Act," Staver explains. "The state court said that a Vermont civil union is not the equivalent of marriage -- and even if it were marriage, then Georgia doesn't have to recognize it as such because of its own law that defines marriage as [between] one man and one woman."

Staver says this ruling in Burns v. Burns will have a profound effect on other states that wish to defend traditional marriage.

"Our argument was essentially that a driver's license is vastly different than a pilot's license, and in Vermont a civil union is not marriage -- so therefore, you can't recognize it as marriage outside of the state," he says. "And even if it were marriage, the states can define their own marriage policy. Georgia did, the courts abided by it, and this is a huge victory."

According to Staver, more than 80% of the civil unions applied for in Vermont are for people who reside outside that state. The lesbian couple in the Georgia case obtained their civil union just three days after Vermont enacted its law, then returned to Georgia.

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