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Simple English definitions for legal terms

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

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A quick definition of Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA):

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a law that said marriage was only between a man and a woman. This meant that same-sex couples couldn't get the same benefits as opposite-sex couples, like access to employment benefits, inheritance rights, and joint tax returns. DOMA also said that states didn't have to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. However, the Supreme Court ruled that DOMA was unconstitutional in 2013 and 2015, which allowed same-sex couples to get married and have the same rights as opposite-sex couples.

A more thorough explanation:

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress intended to define and protect the institution of marriage. DOMA specifically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, which allowed individual states to not recognize same-sex marriages that were performed and recognized under other states’ laws.

For example, if a same-sex couple got married in a state where it was legal, but then moved to a state where it was not legal, that state did not have to recognize their marriage. This meant that same-sex couples were denied many benefits and recognition that opposite-sex couples enjoyed, such as access to a spouse’s employment benefits, the recognition of the marriage itself, the rights of inheritance, joint tax returns and exemptions, and the right to cohabit together in a college or military housing.

DOMA also stated that "the word 'spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife” and further states that “[i]n determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word 'spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.”

One of the major provisions of this law was that a non-biological parent could not have a legal relationship with a child of the biological parent in a same-sex couple. Moreover, same-sex couples could not take medical leave to care for their partners or non-biological children. They also could not adopt children and during divorce proceedings, they could not petition the court for custody, visitation rights, or child support.

The supporters of DOMA believed that opposite-sex marriage was the only appropriate method for family formation and procreation. One of the major arguments from proponents of DOMA was that same-sex marriage could lead to alternative family formations and could even result in incestuous relationships and polygamous marriage. On the other hand, the opponents of DOMA claimed that DOMA’s definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman and other arguments were discriminatory on the basis of sex, and equated homosexuality with incest and polygamy.

In 2013 in United States v. Windsor, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down DOMA’s definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman. Furthermore, in 2015 in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court struck down the section of DOMA that allowed individual states to not recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. This result granted same-sex couples the constitutional right to marry.

It is important to note that in 2022, the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson opened up the possibility for the Court to reexamine its ruling in Obergefell in the future.

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babycat
10:45
@shaquilleoatmeal: yeah so I’ve heard
i don't know any of this military talk but i was going to be a combat medic or trauma surgeon for so long before i went this track lol, so my only exposure is seriously looking and visiting places like west point for recruitment lol. i speak russian so everyone always told me that raises your chances at those places lol
my brother is a combat medic too
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
10:46
@m10: was a great career, the main job is being a cultural expert building rapport and relationships with foreign nationals, militaries and even people hostile to make the area safer and at times bring in the ODAs or three letter guys to train, arm and fund them to aid in their(our) cause. OCONUS is great but not necessary, I only did two real deployments but a lot of missions to places. That is all 110% BS. I have a TS-SCI, worked with federal agencies they do nothing crazy like that.
shaquilleoatmeal
10:47
Damn - 3rd invite missed smh no love for me from hls
m10
10:49
@jackfrost11770: That's like a huge pitfall. People say it's easy to get into like med school or law school through West Point and it is not at all. Yeah, Russian would make you very valuable to them. You will see West Point people in law school but that's very few compared to how many went through the prelaw program there. Best just to enlist and become a combat medic. I've seen like 4 of em here anyway so you didn't really miss anything by going straight to law school.
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
10:49
I "speak" Dutch but never used it after training back in 2012. Russian is great if you can get into INTEL but outside of that they would just assign you a lot of NATO roles if you go EUCOM. If you go Jag it may score you a nice job in Europe but at this point with the lack of benefits the military would give you just go state department as an attorney and you will travel the world.
m10
10:50
@BulbasaurNoLikeCardio: Oh yeah, I get that. My buddy just got back from Jordan and he gained like 25 lbs there just being a fat ass doordashing for 50 cents a delivery.
yeah haha i mean i was like 15 so i didn't know anything, and yeah that makes complete sense. my main thing was that i knew i didn't want to go to medical school and i didn't want to straight out enlist so that kinda closed the door on that
glovediedthisishismom
10:50
please listen
m10
10:51
@BulbasaurNoLikeCardio: indeed, it could but I could also just like visit on my own time. Though I have met like 10 or so JAG officers that got an Italian or French or Spanish wife while over in Europe so that is cool.
but i'd love to talk to you about that sometime if that's alright because i've been seriously considering INTEL and other similar roles but i know quite literally nothing about it and don't know where to start researching
m10
10:52
@glovediedthisishismom: oh my god that guy is a psychopath. Tjhat guy scares me.
m10
10:52
@jackfrost11770: Best bet if going law route is Law School to JAG to either Mead or Gordon imo then.
m10
10:53
NSA shit to start. If you can go straight into a GS job then you should go for it.
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
10:54
@jackfrost11770: I have my undergrad in Intelligence and Terrorism and worked a good bit in the IC so I can answer some broad questions but not many direct because the nature of the field. If you want to go to law school and get your JD it really depends what intel work you would want to do and where you want to live.
thank you!! yeah i also know they always need STEM grads ofc, so i know i have that going for me as well
m10
10:58
Fuck now that Gary Gensler is resigning, this is like a dream job for me. Would love to do securities: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/819640900
m10
10:58
Best job on the wbesite rn.
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
11:00
If you do it from the attorney side you will be skirting the left and right limits of laws like the NDAA to conduct domestic espionage or how to kidnap or spy on people in foreign countries without committing war/international crimes. JAG would be very very general and location based. At one unit you can be the personal attorney to a commander not even having your own office or desk, next one you can be leading the prosecution of terrorist and rapist and the next one be the legal OK for drone striking people. It is a very varied job you have little control over.
Dkk
11:01
Lmfao, so true.
BulbasaurNoLikeCardio
11:02
The last jag I worked with had a folding picnic table as his desk and had to bring his office chair home every night because people would steal it and he hated using a bucket as a seat. All he did was keep commanders from being fired cause they kept doing illegal shit. It is a varied journey.
Dkk
11:04
This is so true. I still have my folding table. I put alcohol on it now and it is my home bar.
11:04
How do you recommend grooming a child so they become a sf operator?
11:05
Asking for my future child who will get boot camp from birth
Dkk
11:05
Make em read books and hope they go that route.
LSDFan
11:05
give them a TBI as soon as possible
Dkk
11:06
LMFAO
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