By Lisa Keen on February 10, 2010
With no named sources and a “no comment” from the judge, the San Francisco Chronicle this week reported that it is an “open secret” in San Francisco that the federal judge presiding over the Proposition 8 trial “is himself gay.”
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits, News
By Chuck Colbert on February 5, 2010
A ruling this week by the U.S. Tax Court held that a Massachusetts woman should be permitted to deduct the medical costs associated with her transition (male to female) for the purposes of filing federal income tax returns—a ruling that could have significant implications for transgender people.
Posted in Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News
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 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 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 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
By Lisa Keen on January 21, 2010
William Tam is what lawyers call an “adverse” witness. The head of a small coalition of Asian Americans in the San Francisco area who are opposed to same-sex marriage, Tam made a name for himself by propagating some of the most virulent public comments and literature in support of Proposition 8.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 21, 2010
Defenders of Prop 8 are continuing to draw out the trial with prolonged cross-examinations of the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses. One attorney acknowledged in court that the legal team’s case is “primarily” based on cross-examination and that defense plans to bring only two witnesses.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 20, 2010
President Obama’s name keeps coming up a lot during the trial challenging the constitutionality of California’s same-sex marriage ban.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships
By Lisa Keen on January 20, 2010
The courtroom let out a collective gasp at the testimony: A 26-year-old gay man from Colorado recounted what his mother said to him—at the age of 13—when she found out he was gay.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 20, 2010
Testimony in the Proposition 8 trial Tuesday began with emotional testimony by San Diego’s Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders and ended with a clear hit against the claim that same-sex marriages will somehow do harm to straight marriages.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 19, 2010
Tuesday morning’s testimony in the Proposition 8 trial began with riveting and emotional testimony by San Diego’s Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders, but the legal team scored a big victory during more testimony concerning economics.
Posted in Ballot Measures, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on January 17, 2010
It turns out that it shouldn’t have been a big surprise last year when conservative icon Ted Olson announced he would help lead the charge against Proposition 8, the initiative which bans legal recognition for same-sex relationships in California. Olson’s law firm is no novice at defending the rights of gays to get married.
Posted in A closer look, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on January 17, 2010
In its second surprise move in a week, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday announced it would review another narrow dispute involving anti-gay activists’ alleged fear of harassment over their public opposition to legal recognition for same-sex relationships.
Posted in Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, U.S. Supreme Court
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
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
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans