Victory for gay marriage: All legally wed couples WILL get same benefits and recognition as heterosexuals after Supreme Court strikes down DOMA in landmark case

Defense of Marriage Act was struck down meaning that married same-sex couples have to receive the same benefits as heterosexual married couples

The ruling has substantial effects when it comes to issues like survivors benefits and tax filings for married same-sex couples

Same-sex marriage is only legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia



California now added to that list as Prop 8 also dismissed



The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of same sex marriage by striking down the Defense of Marriage Act in a landmark 5-4 decision this morning.



It followed that decision with a ruling against California's controversial Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state, meaning that gay marriage will inevitably be deemed legal in California.



By striking down DOMA, the Supreme Court ruled that it was not legal to prevent same-sex spouses from receiving the same benefits that heterosexual couples receive.

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Victory: Crowds celebrate in June after The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages should be legally recognized as valid across the U.S., but now the Texas National Guard has refused to process requests from same-sex couples for benefits

Working for the wedding: Plaintiffs Paul Katami, Jeffrey Zarrillo, Sandy Stier, and Kristen Perry were the people fighting for marriage equality in California

PROP 8 RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL Just minutes after their ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act was announced, the Supreme Court declared California's Proposition 8 unconstitutional.

The legal drama in California came when the state approved same-sex marriage, and that was followed months later with a Prop 8, which was put in place by the 9th Circuit Court .

Prop 8 banned same-sex marriage across the state, and today, the Supreme Court ruled that the 9th Circuit Court was overstepping their bounds by putting the ban in place in the first place.

Though the legal wrangling will undoubtedly continue in the coming months, the ruling suggests that California will go back to allowing same-sex marriage.

If that is the case, it will be the 13th state to legally allow same-sex marriage.

The plaintiffs in the Prop 8 case were two same-sex couples from California. During their celebratory interviews on the steps of the Supreme Court, one of the women received a phone call from President Obama personally congratulating them on their victory.



While it does not theoretically change the fact that only 12 states and the District of Columbia are the only areas in the U.S. where same-sex marriages are granted, today's ruling means that any couples who are married in those states have to be treated the same as any heterosexual married couples under the law across the country.



The broadly-written decision says among other privileges, same-sex couples can now file joint tax returns, are entitled to social security survivor benefits, have the right to make medical decisions for incapacitated partners, and will receive notification when a spouse is killed in action.

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority decision, saying that it was not legal to consider same-sex marriages anything lesser than full legal partnerships.

'Under DOMA, same-sex married couples have their lives burdened, by reason of government decree, in visible and public ways,' Justice Kennedy wrote in the majority decision.



'DOMA's principal effect is to identify a subset of state-sanctioned marriages and make them unequal.'

He wrote that the previous law caused 'a stigma upon all who enter into same-sex marriages made lawful by the unquestioned authority of the states.'



As was expected, the court's four more conservative justices- Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and chief justice John Roberts- voted against the issue.

President Obama is currently in Africa on a state visit to Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania, but he tweeted shortly after the decision was reached.

Big day: The ruling over the Defense of Marriage Act was one of the most hotly-anticipated verdicts

Celebrating: Glennda Testone of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center jumps for joy after the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down, meaning that same-sex partners will receive equal benefits

'Today's DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for #MarriageEquality #LoveIsLove,' his official Twitter account released.



He was expected to make a statement about the two rulings, and his words will have an added twist as he will give them in Senegal, where homosexuality is illegal.

The second ruling of the day came on the issue of Proposition 8. In that case, California had passed same-sex marriage but then Prop 8 was put in place banning gay marriage in the state. Today's Supreme Court decision said that Prop 8 was not legal, and they were not legally able to put that ban into place.



By removing the ban, California is now the 13th state that allows same-sex marriage.



The landmark decision comes on a busy week for the highest court in the land, as they already handed down verdicts on similarly controversial decisions on affirmative action, the voting rights act, and a custody battle between a girl's Native American biological father and her adoptive family.

Crowds gathered outside of the court on Wednesday morning ahead of their 10am announcement.

Today's DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for #MarriageEquality. #LoveIsLove — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 26, 2013





On the call: The White House released this picture of President Obama calling Edie Windsor from Air Force One

Waiting to hear: The court was ruling on two different cases that would decide whether gay couples are legally allowed to marry across the country

Right now, 12 states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriages as legal, and it is likely that the issue will still continue to be determined on a state-by-state basis.



The case itself was based around the constitutionality of denying spousal benefits to same sex partners.They are also considering the validity of the California ban on same-sex marriage.



Named the United States v. Windsor, the case was filed by an elderly lesbian named Edith Windsor. She was married to her female spouse Thea Spyer but was denied estate tax when Ms Spyer died.



Their 40-year love story has been a well-publicized one and a movie was made to nationalize.



In light of today's landmark ruling, Windsor no longer has to pay the IRS hundreds of dollars that she was told to pay because the federal government did not recognize her same-sex marriage as valid.

