A federal lawsuit challenging the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act set to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court was filed by a Temple alumna, the New York Times reports.
Edith Windsor, an 83-year-old alumna, has challenged the federal law, specifically a section that prohibits same-sex spouses from receiving a number of benefits. That section has caused its fair share of costly problems for Windsor, whose wife, Thea Spyer, died in 2009 (because she wasn’t considered a spouse by the IRS, she’s paid more than $600,000 in taxes).
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case last week.
Experts in the Times report seem to think Windsor’s story – specifically the emphasis on a perhaps-unequal tax level – will resonate with members of the highest court. How do you think the Supreme Court will stand on the issue?