A federal court in California ruled that a state referendum that banned gay marriage violated the U.S. Constitution.

Beth Robinson argued the Baker case in Vermont in 1997. That's the state Supreme Court case that led to civil unions. She then lobbied over almost a decade to persuade the state to adopt full marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.

She's in California right now for an American Bar Association conference. Robinson tells VPR's Mitch Wertlieb the ruling has more significance for states without same-sex marriage than Vermont.