Associated Press - April 21, 2009 7:44 PM ET

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A gay New Orleans couple has filed a lawsuit claiming their constitutional rights were violated when they were denied a marriage license.

Kristoffer Bonilla and John Thomas Wray are asking a federal judge to strike down a state constitutional ban against same-sex marriage.

The two men filed the lawsuit against several state and local officials earlier this month.

1 of the defendants, state Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine, said he believes this is the first case of its kind in Louisiana.

Voters approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions in 2004. The "Defense of Marriage" amendment was approved overwhelmingly by state lawmakers and voters.

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