By Lisa Keen on November 9, 2010
Two civil rights law firms on Tuesday announced the filing of two major lawsuits aimed at taking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on November 2, 2010
All three Iowa Supreme Court justices up for retention this month have been given the boot. The vote sends a chilling message to other justices who face retention votes and must rule on the constitutionality of laws that adversely affect LGBT people.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Courts, State Politics, State Supreme Courts
By Chuck Colbert on October 26, 2010
There are no anti-gay initiatives or referenda on any statewide ballots November 2, but that doesn’t mean that same-sex marriages is no longer a political hot potato. Quite the contrary.
Posted in Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on September 23, 2010
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives revealed their “Pledge to America,” and it includes a pledge to “to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.” That reference to traditional marriage was too much for most LGBT leaders and too little for right-wing conservatives.
Posted in A closer look, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on September 14, 2010
At first glance, it might draw a yawn: Elena Kagan, the U.S. Supreme Court’s newest member, has recused herself from some upcoming cases. But ruminate for a few minutes over this list of cases that could be before the court within a few years.
Posted in A closer look, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on September 7, 2010
Supporters of Proposition 8 this month conjured up the ghost of Ronald Reagan to defend the voter-approved state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. But, so far, it hasn’t worked.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 16, 2010
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued an order granting Yes on 8’s request for a stay of Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 12, 2010
There were cheers outside San Francisco City Hall as news emerged that Judge Vaughn Walker had denied a request to delay enforcement of his ruling against Proposition 8. But those cheers were mitigated when details of the judge’s order were revealed: Walker continued to delay enforcement of his decision until August 18.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 9, 2010
The waiting game around the Proposition 8 challenge in a federal court in San Francisco grows curiouser and curiouser.
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has issued his decision in the case. Now, people interested in the case are waiting again—this time, for Judge Walker’s decision on whether to approve a permanent “stay” until the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals can weigh in on the merits of the case.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 4, 2010
In an historic, potent, and eloquent decision, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled Wednesday, August 4, that California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage violates the federal constitution’s guarantees to equal protection and due process of law.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 4, 2010
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled Wednesday that California’s ballot measure banning same-sex marriage violates the federal constitution’s guarantees to equal protection and due process of law.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on August 4, 2010
Proposition 8 passed in November 2008 because parents with kids living at home were scared and the LGBT community did nothing to assuage that fear.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Chuck Colbert on July 26, 2010
In yet another important win for marriage equality, the District of Columbia’s highest court ruled July 15 that the city government acted lawfully when it rejected a local minister attempt to place a referendum before voters that sought to roll back equal marriage rights for gay couples in the nation’s capital. The ruling leaves intact [...]
Posted in A closer look, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on July 8, 2010
In an enormous victory for same-sex marriage, a federal judge in Boston Thursday, July 8, ruled—in two separate lawsuits—that a critical part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on July 8, 2010
In an enormous victory for same-sex marriage, a federal judge in Boston today ruled, in two separate cases, that a critical part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Samantha Fields on June 27, 2010
An informal survey by the Washington Post published June 18 asked a tiny number of well-placed experts—six—to say what they think will happen if federal Judge Vaughn Walker overturns California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Two of the six pointed to existing polling data to warn of the potential for a negative impact.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on June 22, 2010
It’s been clear since Elena Kagan was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court that her confirmation hearing would be unusually focused on things gay.
First, there were the complaints that she barred military recruiters from Harvard Law School while she was dean. Then, came rumors that she herself is gay. And finally, there has been a generalized fear expressed by right-wing groups that she’s liberal enough to reverse the Defense of Marriage Act.
But there’s surprisingly little support for any of these assumptions in the thousands of emails, memoranda, and other documents submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee from the archives of the Clinton White House.
Posted in A closer look, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on June 16, 2010
There were so many people trying to get in to watch the final day of the landmark trial challenging California’s same-sex marriage ban, the court staff had to set up an additional overflow room for observers.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on June 16, 2010
Conservative attorney Ted Olson relied heavily this morning on comparisons between the current ban on same-sex marriage and the ban that existed in the 1960’s on interracial marriage.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on June 9, 2010
The federal judge presiding over the highly publicized Proposition 8 trial distributed to attorneys on both sides of the controversy a list of 39 questions he’d like them to address during closing arguments June 16. It’s the kind of list, said one veteran gay legal scholar, that promises his decision will likely be a “blockbuster in its scope.”
Posted in A closer look, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Circuit Courts
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
Immigration bill advances without provisions for same-sex couples
Leahy submits language to help bi-national same-sex couples
Delaware votes for marriage equality; becomes 11th state to make it the law
Rhode Island marriage law signed; Two more states could vote next week
President praises pro athlete Jason Collins for courage to come out