Meghan Freed was featured in a Connecticut Law Tribune article entitled “DOMA Decision Brings Wave of Litigation Involving Same-Sex Partners.”
While the United States Supreme Court’s overturn of a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) in June, 2013, gave legally married same-sex couples access to all the federal protections afforded to legally married opposite-sex couples, some individuals whose same-sex spouse passed away prior to the decision are finding that they may have to pursue access to some benefits through litigation.
“I think what we’re going to see is the trickle-down impact,” Freed said, referring to the interaction between federal law on benefits and other federal or state laws. The Passaro [v. Bayer] lawsuit is not likely to be the only lawsuit of its kind, she said.