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In reply to the discussion: Rights group sues government after gay widower denied spousal benefits [View all]cstanleytech
(28,448 posts)15. No idea why they set the limit to nine months but its what everyone has to deal with and the courts
are unlikely to change it as its not their place to write the laws its just their place to try and make sure the laws that are written are within what the Constitution allows.
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Rights group sues government after gay widower denied spousal benefits [View all]
herding cats
Dec 2018
OP
I am not sure if he has a strong enough case to be honest unless he can show the government was
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#1
Exactly so they are probably going to have to prove the government was waiving
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#7
No idea why they set the limit to nine months but its what everyone has to deal with and the courts
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#15
It makes no difference. They were not married for the required nine months. Period.
Fortinbras Armstrong
Dec 2018
#21
Apparently common law spouses can collect but only if the state recognizes common law marriages
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#30
Agree. New Mexico is not a common law state, so the surviving spouse may be out of luck.
Tess49
Dec 2018
#3
Aye but as I pointed out in another post if they had an official civil wedding before then the
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#11
What special rules? Social Security applies the nine month rule to everyone.
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#24
Unfortunately I doubt the court will agree. Now there might be two possible chances and the first is
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#8
I suspect the courts might be willing to consider ruling in their favor if we were talking about
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#12
At the time, they would not have known that getting married in another state would help.
yardwork
Dec 2018
#35
No, I am not one but the issue at hand is if they married long enough for the surviving spouse
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#18
Only if extenuating circumstance exist such as they were married in one of the states where it
cstanleytech
Dec 2018
#20
It comes down to whether the Court is legally able to rule to create a just result...
Honeycombe8
Dec 2018
#28
I'd be worried about the consequences of this if it gets to the Supreme Court. Nt
lostnfound
Dec 2018
#6
I agree that the Court will try to rule in a way that corrects the unjust result, if it can.
Honeycombe8
Dec 2018
#29