The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that questions whether the state can deny some benefits to same-sex couples.
The case centers on Kelly Glossip, the male partner of a state trooper killed in the line of duty.
Glossip sued after being denied survivor benefits. By law, those are limited to married couples, which in Missouri must be a man and a woman.
In arguing for eliminating the link between marriage and benefits, Glossip’s attorney, Maurice Graham, emphasized the financial burdens his client shared with his partner over 15 years.
"“I think people need to understand that there’s not a risk that some type of short-term relationship based maybe only on intimacy is going to meet the requirement," Graham said.
Assistant Attorney General Jim Ward acknowledged that Glossip had suffered a tragic loss. But Ward said the state was perfectly rational in limiting benefits to married couples in an effort to control costs.
“If the statues are struck down, a DP benefit is what’s going to have to be provided under the law, and that that clearly will result in a substantial expansion of the survivor benefit,” Ward said.
Attorneys for Glossip say other political subdivisions provide benefits for same-sex couples without a huge boost in cost.