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For Release: Immediate
October 18, 2012
Contact: Mark Mahoney
Associate Director, Media Services and Public Affairs
Mmahoney@nysba.org
518-487-5532
Statement By State Bar Association
President Seymour W. James on Today’s Decision in DOMA
Case
New York State Bar Association President Seymour W. James
Jr. (The Legal Aid Society in New York City) today issued the following
statement regarding a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second
Circuit, New York, to declare the Defense of Marriage Act
unconstitutional:
“The State Bar Association, a longtime advocate for the repeal of
DOMA, applauds the court on its historic decision to strike down this
discriminatory act.
“The Defense of Marriage Act denies certain federal benefits
– such as spousal social security or the ability to file joint tax
returns – to legally married same-sex couples in New York.
“The State Bar Association has long supported equal rights for
same-sex couples, and was a vocal advocate for the state’s
Marriage Equality Act, which went into effect in June 2011.
“We will continue to advocate against this discriminatory act
and we urge the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down this law nationwide at
its next available opportunity.”
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The New York State Bar Association, with 77,000 members, is
the largest voluntary state bar association in the country. It was
founded in 1876.
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