Gertrude Thomas v. Louis W. Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services

KEARSE, Circuit Judge:

Plaintiff Gertrude Thomas appeals from a final judgment of the United States District , Court for the Southern District of New York, Leonard B. Sand, Judge, dismissing her complaint for review of a decision of the Secretary of Health and IJuman Services (“Secretary”), which denied her application for widow’s insurance benefits (“widow’s benefits”) under § 216(h)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (the “Act”), 42 U.S.C. § 416(h)(1)(B) (1988), on the ground that her marriage was invalid and she had not gone through a marriage ceremony. The complaint contended that the…