Arlington County v. White
Virginia Supreme Court
259 Va. 708, 528 S.E.2d 706 (2000)
- Written by Galina Abdel Aziz , JD
Facts
Andrew White, Diana White, and Wendell Brown (taxpayers) (plaintiffs) were residents and taxpayers in Arlington County, Virginia (county) (defendant). The state legislature authorized local governments to provide self-funded health-benefits programs for their employees and dependents, but the legislature did not define dependents. The county defined an adult dependent as a domestic partner who resided with an employee for one year, shared the employee’s common necessities of life and basic living, was involved with the employee in a mutually exclusive relationship of support and commitment, was not blood related to the employee, was not married to anyone, was mentally competent, and was 18 years or older. Under a stipulation, the adult dependent and employee could be in a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Koontz, J.)
Concurrence/Dissent (Hassell, J.)
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