By Lisa Keen on May 27, 2010
For the second time in three weeks, a federal judge in Boston heard arguments in a lawsuit that asks the court to strike down a significant part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on March 26, 2010
One of the 41 amendments which the U.S. Senate voted on this week, while passing the companion bill of “fixes” to the landmark health care legislation, was an amendment to allow Washington, D.C. voters to hold a referendum on same-sex marriage. The amendment was defeated 36 to 59, with the newest—and Republican—senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown, joining his party with a yes vote.
Posted in Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, News Briefs, Politics
By Lisa Keen on March 24, 2010
A snag in completion of the landmark Proposition 8 trial has now become a full-fledged entanglement. The issue? Whether three groups that are not a party to the Perry v. Schwarzenegger lawsuit can be forced to turn over their own e-mails and memoranda to the defendants in the case.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on March 10, 2010
Same-sex marriage bans may be harmful to the mental health of gay people in those states. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Posted in Health, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Chuck Colbert on March 3, 2010
A new law takes effect today in the nation’s capital, granting equal rights in marriage licensing for gay couples. Washington, D.C.’s marriage equality legislation becomes law in spite of a Herculean effort by opponents to block its implementation.
Posted in Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on March 3, 2010
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday evening denied a request to stop Washington, D.C.’s new marriage equality law from going into effect Wednesday, March 3.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on February 25, 2010
Just days before Washington, D.C.’s new marriage equality law is set to go into effect, the attorney general of neighboring Maryland issued a long-awaited opinion on whether same-sex marriages validated in other jurisdictions “may be recognized” under Maryland state law.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 31, 2010
The fact that Therese Stewart didn’t get much publicity during the landmark federal court trial challenging Proposition 8 isn’t really a surprise: Lesbians do tend to be invisible.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on January 30, 2010
Star witnesses for both sides in the recent Proposition 8 trial agreed on one thing: Children of same-sex parents benefit from having two parents who are happily married to each other.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 29, 2010
President Obama side-stepped a question Thursday about what he’s doing “now” to ensure that gay couples “are treated as equal citizens,” but there was a signal from the Pentagon that same day that movement may be coming on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on January 27, 2010
There is nothing like turning an opponent’s own words against him to both rile his emotions and destroy his position, and that was the work of attorney David Boies Wednesday morning.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 27, 2010
In the waning hours of the historic trial challenging the constitutionality of a state ban on same-sex marriage, the federal courtroom in San Francisco felt a little like a boxing arena.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 26, 2010
Except for one very brief outburst in the courtroom by a man who has been ranting on the streets of downtown San Francisco, the predominance of drama in the Proposition 8 trial Tuesday morning has been coming from the intense cross-examination delivered by David Boies.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 26, 2010
Defenders of Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that amended California’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage, began their effort Monday to defend the measure in a U.S. federal district court.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on January 25, 2010
The mood among supporters of a bill to allow civil unions in Hawaii is “Imua!”—the Hawaiian word for “Forward!” said State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser. The bill passed the state senate Friday, January 22, by a vote of 18 to 7.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 25, 2010
A significant dispute broke out today in court over whether Yes on 8 campaign manager Frank Shubert can be called to the witness stand by the legal team defending the constitutionality of California’s same-sex marriage ban.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 25, 2010
Today begins Day 10, Week 3 of the federal trial challenging the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriages, Proposition 8. The day will begin with the final presentations from the Ted Olson-David Boies legal team.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 23, 2010
The legal team defending California’s ban on same-sex marriages is in the very odd position of having to argue that most people—including heterosexuals—feel an attraction to people of the same sex at some time in their lives.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 23, 2010
A New Hampshire House committee is expected to vote soon on two bills seeking to restrict marriage licenses to straight couples only.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 22, 2010
Friday morning’s court session began with the surprising announcement by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker that he would delay the delivery of closing arguments in the case until at least several weeks after case is presented.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
Five Top LGBT Supreme Court Cases–for now
Obama names three more gay ambassadors; nearly doubles Clinton’s LGBT appointments
DOJ nominee gets GOP booster
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