Mo. Supreme Court Considering The Link Between Benefits And Marriage
Should certain state benefits be limited only to married couples, even though that could discriminate against gays and lesbians in Missouri?
That's one of the questions the Missouri Supreme Court will be considering after hearing arguments today in the case of Kelly Glossip, whose partner, Cpl. Dennis Englehard, was killed in the line of duty as a state trooper.
Glossip sued in 2010 after he was denied Englehard's survivor benefits. Under Missouri law, only married couples are eligible for those benefits, and only a man and a woman can legally get married.
In arguing to eliminate the link between marriage and benefits, Glossip's attorney, Maurice Graham, emphasized the financial burdens Glossip and Englehard shared over the course of a 15-year relationship.
http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/post/mo-supreme-court-considering-link-between-benefits-and-marriage
