Judge halts Oregon’s domestic partner law

Opponents urge judge to intercede after earlier referendum initiative fails

Video: Life

On T-Day, Grandma delivers baby, dinner
Nov. 28: A Boston Grandmother delivers her granddaughter while cooking Thanksgiving dinner. WHDH's Nicole Oliverio reports.

Hunger, America’s ‘dirty little secret’

Gold coin, worth $1,000, dropped in donation bucket

Repairing the ‘Bridge to Somewhere’

Couple marries in line for Black Friday sales

NBC Field Notes

NBC News correspondents and producers across the U.S. shed light on the news of the day.

Photo features

Reuters	The Week in Pictures A starry night, cat’s mouth, a lighthouse stands tall, bear attack, a sea of balloons, H1N1 reaction and more news and feature photos from around the globe.
Reuters	PhotoBlog View and discuss the pictures and issues that caught our eyes.

Most popular

• Most viewed

• Top rated

• Most e-mailed

Cars burned, windows broken at trade protest

Life isn’t all glitz, glamor for Obama crashers

Makeover! New look gets her a proposal

Body of trapped spelunker won't be recovered

Albinos in East Africa fear for lives after killings

Most viewed on msnbc.com

updated 8:19 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2007

A federal judge on Friday placed on hold a state domestic partnership law that was set to take effect Jan. 1, pending a February hearing.

The law would give some spousal rights to same-sex couples.

Opponents asked U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman to intercede after the Oregon secretary of state's office ruled in October that they had failed to collect enough valid signatures on a referendum to block the law.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

The Oregon measure covers benefits related to inheritance rights, child-rearing and custody, joint state tax filings, joint health, auto and homeowners insurance policies, visitation rights at hospitals and others. It does not affect federal benefits for married couples, including Social Security and joint filing of federal tax returns.