• The United States government and most American states do not recognize same-sex marriages, even if legally contracted in another U.S. state or in a foreign country such as Canada, so couples usu. do not acquire the legal status of spouses. But same-sex couples have successfully challenged the laws against same-sex marriage. See Goodridge v. Dept. of Pub. Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 (Mass. 2003). Cf. Baehr v. Lewin, 852 P.2d 44 (Haw. 1993); Baehr v. Miike, 994 P.2d 566 (Haw. 1999); Baker v. State, 744 A.2d 864 (Vt. 1999).
— Also termed gay marriage; homosexual marriage. Cf. CIVIL COMMITMENT(2); CIVIL UNION; DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP.
