High court skeptical of federal marriage law Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 9:53 am, Wednesday, March 27, 2013 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is indicating it could strike down the federal law that prevents legally married gay couples from receiving a range of federal benefits for married people. The law affects a range of benefits available to married couples, including tax breaks, survivor benefits and health insurance for spouses of federal employees.