"The government cannot deny health benefits to the wife of a lesbian court employee by relying on the 1996 law that bars government recognition of same-sex unions, a federal judge has ruled.
"A judge on Wednesday declared the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and ordered the federal government to ignore the statute and provide health benefits to the wife of a lesbian federal court employee.
(San Francisco, February 22, 2012) – U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey S. White today ruled the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, declaring that the discriminatory federal statute violated the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equality.
"The Department of Justice sent one of its top lawyers to federal court in San Francisco today to argue that the Defense of Marriage Act's federal definition of marriage unconstitutionally limits Karen Golinski's ability to secure health insurance for her wife...
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California heard oral arguments today in the case brought by Lambda Legal and Morrison & Foerster challenging the constitutionality of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on behalf of Karen Golinski, a federal court employee denied spousal health coverage for her wife.
