Gay-rights advocates say [Mary Norton], [Wendy Becker] and all same-sex couples who marry in Massachusetts expect to be recognized as legally married by their employers, as well as by state and municipal governments in Rhode Island.

It is not clear whether Rhode Island is prepared to recognize these couples. Jeff Neal, spokesman for Governor Carcieri, has downplayed the significance of the Massachusetts court ruling, and the Rhode Island attorney general, Patrick C. Lynch, has signaled that he is not bound by it. (Neal and Lynch's spokesman, Michael J. Healey, were not available for comment yesterday.)

Many private employers already offer domestic-partner benefits, and the state has given similar treatment to same-sex couples who married in Massachusetts and later moved to Rhode Island, and to those who married in Massachusetts after the 2003 court ruling but before the governor and attorney general excluded out-of-state same- sex couples.