This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express-News and its MySA.com website on July 26, 2015. The US Supreme Court, in Obergefell v. Hodges, has ruled that marriage between two people is protected by the Constitution’s guarantee of due process and equal protection. Marriage is a liberty that has been protected by the Constitution and prior Supreme Court decisions. Same-sex couples are accorded the same right to marry as opposite-sex couples. Further, the Constitution

Dear Mr. Premack: I have a question about federal benefits, specifically Social Security and Medicaid. Texas’ current law does not recognize the validity of any same-sex marriage. My husband and I were legally married in Washington State, but relocated to Texas to be near our families. He is 65 and I just reached 58. He is suffering from early onset dementia and, I fear, I a few years may need to move to a nursing home. Will Texas recognize our marriage for Medicaid purposes?

Dear Mr. Premack: I’ve read in the Express that the Windsor case will be argued before the US Supreme Court this week. Can you outline the dispute and situation? Can the court’s eventual decision have an effect on estate taxes owed by couples who live in Texas? – T.R. The Windsor case deals with a same-sex couple who were legally married in Canada in 2007. Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer married when they were in their 70’s, after having spent most of their lives together. Spyer