Federal Court Strikes Down Defense of Same Sex Marriage Act

(Boston, MA) — A federal appeals court says the law that defines marriage as being between one man and one woman is unconstitutional.

The First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston issued the ruling yesterday, saying the Defense of Marriage Act discriminates against same-sex couples.

The ruling states the federal law, which the court says denies federal benefits to same-sex couples lawfully married in Massachusetts, is not supported by “any permissible federal interest.”