This just in: By a 4-3 vote, the California Supreme Court has overturned the voter-approved gay marriage ban.

The Court has ruled that the state of California’s interest in upholding the ban — that is, as the court explains, "the interest in retaining the traditional and well-established definition of marriage" — does not meet constitutional muster. It "cannot properly be viewed as a compelling state interest for purposes of the equal protection clause, or as necessary to serve such an interest."

Why is this important concerning personal injury and wrongful death cases?  Because in the past (and unlike married couples), the "significant other" in a same sex relationship had only very limited rights when it came to his or her partner being injured or suffering a wrongful death.  It looks like these rights are going to expand to the surviving "partner" similar to the traditional surviving spouse in a marriage.  We'll keep you updated...