The Supreme Court seemed to be leaning on the side of striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, according to Reuters. It will release a decision on the matter this month.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative, is seen as a key vote on the issue. He has twice authored decisions in the past viewed as favorable to gay rights.

He showed a willingness to invalidate DOMA, which denies same-sex couples access to federal benefits by defining marriage as between a man and a woman, during last March’s oral arguments.

The majority of the other justices at the Supreme Court also raised serious concerns over DOMA, which was enacted in 1996 under President Bill Clinton, when it was being deliberated early spring.

The case on DOMA and a separate one challenging California’s ban on gay marriage marked the high court’s first experience with a delicate and divisive political, religious and social issue.

Polls indicate a growing public support for same-sex marriage.

The cases presented before the court have the potential to take a significant step toward endorsing gay marriage.

But based on the arguments presented, it seems a partial victory for gay rights activists seems more likely than the sweeping declaration of same-sex marriage rights they had aspired for, Reuters reports.

The nine justices seemed to be willing to address the substantive issue in the DOMA case, while also eyeing the procedural questions involve.

The Supreme Court is not expected to rule on DOMA or the challenge to California’s Proposition 8 until the end of this month. In the event the justices were to strike down DOMA, legally married gay couples would be winners, as they would have improved access to federal benefits, including tax deductions.

Twelve states now recognize gay marriage, with other state legislatures pushing for the passage of a marriage equality measure.

Illinois failed to call a vote for it’s marriage equality bill last week, but is expected to vote on the measure this fall.