On June 26, 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage to be that between a man and a woman only, is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also ruled that the proponents of Proposition 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage, lacked standing to have appealed the injunction against enforcement of Prop 8 to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

On June 28, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction that allowed Prop 8 to stand, allowing same-sex marriage to become legal in California. In San Francisco, over 500 same-sex marriage licenses were issued within 48 hours of the Ninth Circuit’s ruling.

BASF’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) has attorneys experienced in the legal areas that are particularly relevant to same-sex couples and families: child custody, child support, adoption, immigration, state and federal income tax, heath care benefits, wills and estate planning issues.

Visitwww.sfbar.org/lawyerreferrals to see a list of commonly asked questions regarding DOMA and how it affects same-sex marriages. You can also call 415-989-1616.