Judge voids transgender widow's marriage
WHARTON, TX
The order prevents Nikki Araguz from receiving the death
benefits of her firefighter husband who died last year battling a
blaze.
State District Judge Randy Clapp's ruling comes in a lawsuit
filed by the family of firefighter Thomas Araguz III. The suit
claims his widow should collect nothing because she was born a man
and Texas doesn't recognize same-sex marriages.
In his ruling signed last week and made public Tuesday, the
Wharton County judge said the marriage was "void as a matter of
law."
Clapp's decision was first made known early last week after
attorneys in the case saw a draft of the decision.
The widow has previously said she would appeal such a ruling.
