Wisconsin same

Julie Engbloom, left, and Laurie Brown embrace after being wed in Portland, Oregon, on Monday, May 19, after a federal judge struck down the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.

(CNN) -- A federal judge on Friday struck down Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage, ruling it violates the U.S. Constitution -- a determination made by several other courts over the past year.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb said her ruling is based on her belief that same-sex couples 'are entitled to the same treatment as any heterosexual couple.'

Crabb did not immediately stay her own ruling, as some other federal judges issuing similar decisions have done, nor did she state that it takes effect right away.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said the current law restricting marriage to one man and one woman -- which is written into the Wisconsin state constitution -- 'remains in force.'

'While today's decision is a setback, we'll continue to defend the constitutionality of our traditional marriage laws and the constitutional amendment, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters,' Van Hollen said. 'I will appeal.'

Entities 0 Name: Wisconsin Count: 3 1 Name: U.S. Count: 2 2 Name: Judge Barbara Crabb Count: 1 3 Name: Oregon Count: 1 4 Name: Crabb Count: 1 5 Name: Julie Engbloom Count: 1 6 Name: Laurie Brown Count: 1 7 Name: J.B. Van Hollen Count: 1 8 Name: Portland Count: 1 9 Name: Van Hollen Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1utqAQc Title: Nation's last unchallenged gay marriage ban brought to court Description: The last state with an unchallenged gay marriage ban lost that status on Friday afternoon. As had been expected, seven couples sued North Dakota on Friday afternoon, making it the last such state to have its ban brought to court, according to Joshua Newville, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney who helped file on their behalf.