A US appeals court has declared that the Defence of Marriage Act unconstitutionally denies federal benefits to married gay couples, a groundbreaking ruling all but certain to wind up before the US Supreme Court.
The unanimous ruling said the 1996 law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman discriminates against gay couples because it doesn’t give them the same rights and privileges as heterosexual couples.
Further coverage:
Narrow court ruling good news for Obama and same-sex couples (Brisbane Times)