Meritorious

Meritorious: deserving of honor or esteem

U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker's decision to overturn Proposition 8 is meritorious. The Proposition itself was not; it was unconstitutional.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/prop8-gay-marriage.html

I believe, as many people do, that this case will be appealed up to the Supreme Court, but the decision handed down today is a critical step toward advancing equality for gays and lesbians and strikes a well-deserved blow to a movement that would deny same-sex couples equal protection under the law. I'm too excited to blog more. Thank you, Judge Walker, and everyone who continues to fight for gay rights.