A lawsuit filed in Connecticut’s federal district court this month challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex. The seven plaintiffs, spouses or widowers living in states where same-sex marriage is legal (Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont), seek access to the same federal benefits to which different-sex married couples are entitled. These include income tax rules and social security, family and medical leave, health insurance, and retiree benefits.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant.
