Yesterday the New York Court of Appeals — New York’s highest court — unanimously ruled in Lambda Legal’s Lewis and Spano cases that New York State agencies were within their rights to grant benefits to same-sex spouses in out-of-state marriages.According to the majority opinion, these agencies already extend benefits to domestic partners and did not abuse their discretion in extending the benefits to married same-sex spouses; the concurring judges would have gone even further to rule that the marriages are entitled to legal respect in New York.
Lewis and Spano were just 2 of the 4 cases that the well-funded, antigay Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has brought in New York courts to challenge state recognition of out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples.
In the years the ADF hasn’t convinced a single judge that they’re right — Lambda Legal and equality have prevailed every time. That’s impact.
