first judicial ruling on marriage equality.The ruling set a new precedent in the only Group of Seven nation not to fully recognize same-sex partnerships, though it rejected demands for damages to be paid.
It is a major symbolic victory in a country whose Constitution defines marriage as being based on "the mutual consent of both sexes."As it currently stands, same-sex couples can't inherit their partner's assets — such as the house they may have shared — and also have no parental rights to any children their partners may have.Though partnership certificates issued by some individual municipalities help with renting places to live and hospital visitation rights, they still don't allow the same full legal rights as for heterosexual.