New York court recognizes gay unions

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- A New York appellate court has granted the same recognition to out-of-state marriages of gay couples as heterosexual couples married outside of New York.

New York State does not permit homosexual couples to marry. The state does permit the voluntary extension of healthcare benefits to same-sex couples, however.

The court said Friday this means gay marriages meet the state's "marriage recognition rule," The New York Times reported Sunday.

The court said the state's longstanding recognition of out-of-state marriages and a Court of Appeals decision permitting legislation acknowledging same-sex marriages means "in our view, the Court of Appeals thereby indicated that the recognition of plaintiff's marriage is not against the public policy of New York."

"This is a victory for families, it's a victory for fairness and it's a victory for human rights," Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union told The Times.

The case involves the Canadian marriage between Patricia Martinez and Lisa Ann Golden. Martinez sued her employer, Monroe Community College, for denying health benefits to Golden following their marriage.

The couple entered into a civil union in Vermont in 2001.