WHARTON, TX -- A Texas judge has signed an order that voids the marriage of a transgender widow. The order prevents Nikki Araguz from receiving the death benefits of her firefighter husband who died last year battling a blaze. State District Judge Randy Clapp's ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by the family of firefighter Thomas Araguz III. The suit claims his widow should collect nothing because she was born a man and Texas doesn't recognize same-sex marriages. In his ruling signed last week and made public Tuesday, the Wharton County judge said the marriage was "void as a matter of law." Clapp's decision was first made known early last week after attorneys in the case saw a draft of the decision. The widow has previously said she would appeal such a ruling. (Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »local
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