From New York Law Journal: The 81-year-old widow of a same-sex partner filed suit in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday challenging the government’s refusal under the Defense of Marriage Act to recognize her Canadian marriage. Edith Windsor, the sole beneficiary of Thea Spyer’s estate, has been forced to pay $363,053 in federal estate taxes because [...]
From SDGLN.com: “May you live in interesting times” is as much a curse as a warning. Turbulence, upheaval and revolution – these lead to difficult lives, implies the supposedly Chinese curse. But they are also the defining characteristics of great social change. There are protests and arrests, laws passed and challenged, pickets and bullhorns, hate [...]
On Tuesday U.S. District Court Judge Joseph L. Tauro entered an amended judgment and order in Gill v. Office of Personnel Management granting,that “the judgment in this action is stayed pending the disposition of any appeal filed by the Defendants.” The Department Of Justice (DOJ) now has until October 18, to make up their minds [...]
According to Keen News Service it’s been 40 days since U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro ruled—in two cases—that the federal benefits provision in the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. But the Department of Justice has still not indicated whether it intends to appeal those decisions to the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. [...]
Below is a full copy of the district court decision by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph L. Tauro on DOMA. Today Judge Tauro ruled Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional with respect to claims brought by seven married same-sex couples and three widowers from Massachusetts. Under the ruling, the plaintiffs [...]
Salt ‘n’ Pepa Done Right On Thursday May 6, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), the LGBT legal advocacy org that represents eight married same-sex couples and three widowers, will face off with the Department Of Justice at the Federal District Court in Boston. GLAD will present its arguments against Section 3 of the [...]
Three same-sex spouses of California state employees are suing the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) over its refusal to sell its long-term care insurance to the same-sex spouses of state workers. The reason? DOMA says the insurer. Selling the coverage to same-sex spouses according to CalPERS could jeopardize the long-term care program’s federal tax [...]
