discussed above, the Commonwealth has a substantial interest in ensuring that the marriage relationship is regulated for the protection of the interests of the public, the spouses, and their children. See Goodridge, 440 Mass. at 342-43 (stating that “[eliminating civil marriage would be wholly inconsistent with the Legislature’s deep commitment to fostering stable families and would dismantle a vital organizing principle of our society”). IRREPARABLE HARM Although the court sympathizes with the plaintiffs, they have failed to show that the defendants acted unlawfully, so it is unnecessary to address the question of irreparable harm. Wilson v. Commissioner of Transitional Assistance, 441 Mass. 846, 858-59 (2004), citing Healey v. Commissioner of Public Welfare, 414 Mass. 18, 28 (1992) (<HOLDING>); Packaging Industries Group, Inc., 380 Mass.
holding that inevitable harm of limiting public resources does not trump lawful department action holding that any member of the general public can initiate an action to raise issues involving the public trust in air water or other natural resources of the state holding public interest does not favor granting an injunction where government action allegedly in violation of nepa might actually jeopardize natural resources holding that a search incident to a lawful arrest does not violate the fourth amendment holding that a state department of transportation employee was subject to patronage dismissal where his duties included serving as a liaison between the director of the department and the general public and other government officials including representing the department at meetings and conferences