Marriage Act (Defence of Marriage Act)

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), enacted in 1996 in the United States, was legislation that defined marriage solely as a legal union between one man and one woman. It also allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages approved in other states. Essentially, DOMA prevented federal recognition of same-sex marriages, limiting certain legal benefits for married couples regardless of where they lived. In 2013, parts of DOMA were declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to greater recognition of same-sex marriages at the federal level.