[JURIST] The Tennessee Supreme Court [official website] on Friday dismissed [ruling, PDF] a challenge [press release] brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [official website] to a proposed constitutional amendment [PDF] that would define marriage as only between a man and a woman. The Court held that the ACLU lacked standing to bring the challenge on behalf of three state representatives, ACLU members, and a gay and lesbian rights advocacy group.

The ACLU lawsuit alleged that advocates of the same-sex marriage ban failed to abide by notification procedures required by Article 9, Section 3 of the Tennessee Constitution [PDF text]. As the Tennessee House and Senate have approved the amendment, it becomes law if it wins the support of a majority of voters during the upcoming November elections. AP has more.