U.S. News: Appeals court: Denying federal benefits to same-sex couples is unconstitutional

U.S. News Stories from NBC reporters around the country.

Appeals court: Denying federal benefits to same-sex couples is unconstitutional May 31st 2012, 14:34 Follow @msnbc_us By msnbc.com staff and news services A federal appeals court has ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act, a law that denies a host of federal benefits to same-sex married couples, is unconstitutional. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled Thursday that the act known as DoMA, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, discriminates against gay couples. The law was passed in 1996 at a time when it appeared Hawaii would legalize gay marriage. Since then, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, led by Massachusetts in 2004. Watch US News videos on msnbc.com In 2010, a federal judge in Massachusetts declared the heart of the law unconstitutional in two separate lawsuits. The judge found that the law interferes with the right of a state to define marriage. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Check back for updates on this breaking story. More content from msnbc.com and NBC News: Truck runs into students at high school; 9 hospitalized Tennessee mosque work continues after judge voids building permit 'D-i-r-i-g-i-b-l-e': 6-year-old nails her first word at National Spelling Bee Video: Couple comes to waiter's rescue with $5,000 tip Son of lesbian moms: Boy Scouts must end gay discrimination Snake-handling preacher dies from rattlesnake bite in West Virginia Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

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