Yesterday, a federal district court ruled that a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)—the part that denies federal recognition to same-sex couples—is unconstitutional. The plaintiff in the case, Karen Golinski, is an attorney and lesbian mom.
I interviewed Golinski last December about her accidental path to challenging DOMA and the case’s impact on her family. You can read the piece over at Keen News Service—and while you’re there, read Lisa Keen’s legal analysis of this latest ruling.
The ruling is a significant one, especially coming on the heels of a federal circuit court decision February 7 that said California’s Proposition 8 violates the federal constitution. Both cases are likely to face further challenge (defendants of Prop 8 have already asked for review), but that doesn’t mean they aren’t significant steps.