By Dana Rudolph on November 10, 2011
A state district court in Iowa heard arguments November 7 in a case to determine whether the child born to a lesbian couple married in that state has the right to have the names of both her parents on her birth certificate.
Posted in Cases, Lawsuits, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on October 27, 2011
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund filed suit in a federal district court Thursday (October 27) challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act and its use in denying to gay service members spousal benefits equal to that given to their straight counterparts.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. District Courts
By Lisa Keen on October 18, 2011
The ACLU called it “one of the most important religious liberty cases in years” and said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the matter would determine whether religious organizations have “the right to discriminate based on non-religious grounds.”
Posted in News, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on October 11, 2011
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 11) refused to hear a case that challenged a sort of “back door discrimination” against a gay couple by a Louisiana state official.
Posted in Adoption, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on October 5, 2011
A fourth openly gay nominee–one who has been fairly heavily involved in both gay and non-gay legal and political issues and who spent “hundreds of hours” doing pro bono work that led to the elimination of a gay ban on FBI agents–has gone before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Posted in Federal Courts, News, Nominees, U.S. District Courts
By Lisa Keen on September 19, 2011
On the same day a Broadway play is to premiere to highlight the transcripts from the landmark Proposition 8 trial, a federal judge has ordered release of videotapes of the trial.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. District Courts
By Lisa Keen on September 14, 2011
Remember last year’s Pledge to America from the Republican Party? It promised three times to make government “more transparent.”
Well, apparently, that pledge had a hidden expiration date.
Posted in Federal Courts, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. District Courts
By Dana Rudolph on September 8, 2011
Many contentious lawsuits involving the rights of LGBT people have occurred when a biological parent uses anti-LGBT laws to try and deny a child’s non-biological parent custody or visitation. Several LGBT organizations have published a revised set of standards aimed at stopping such behavior.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on September 6, 2011
Proponents of Proposition 8 argued Tuesday that Yes on 8 must be granted standing to defend the California same-sex marriage ban in federal court; opponents argued Yes on 8 must be denied standing.
Posted in Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on September 5, 2011
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will be off the books September 20. But there is still concern among some that the removal of that specific law barring gays from the military will not stop discrimination against gays in the military.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, News
By Lisa Keen on August 25, 2011
Even before the August 29 hearing takes place on whether to release to the public videotapes of the landmark trial challenging California’s same-sex marriage ban–Proposition 8–there has already been decision to prohibit the recording of the hearing on whether to release the trial videotapes.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Chuck Colbert on August 23, 2011
A lesbian’s surviving spouse is fighting her parents in two different courts. In probate court in Illinois, they are fighting over her will. In a federal court in Pennsylvania, they are trying to influence a judge’s determination of who should receive the benefits of her profit-sharing plan.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits
By Lisa Keen on July 24, 2011
President Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen signed and submitted a one-page written certification to Congress Friday afternoon (July 22) that the military is ready to implement repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, Law, News
By Lisa Keen on July 15, 2011
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals granted an emergency order Friday night (July 15) temporarily reinstating its original stay of an order that had prohibited the government from enforcing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Law, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on July 14, 2011
There was a hint of trouble ahead for the nomination of lesbian attorney Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for Southern New York.
Posted in Campaigns, Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, Nominees, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on July 14, 2011
Lambda Legal Defense is taking its fight for same-sex families to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Adar v. Darlene Smith, involves a gay male couple–Oren Adar and Mickey Ray Smith–who sought an amended birth certificate for the boy they adopted in the state of New York.
Posted in Adoption, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on July 7, 2011
A 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel on Wednesday issued an order that the Defense Department stop enforcing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the Pentagon quickly announced that it will comply.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on July 4, 2011
The Department of Justice on July 1 recommended a federal appeals court in California dismiss a motion promoted by the House of Representatives to dismiss a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on June 30, 2011
Five days after the New York State legislature legalized marriage for same-sex couples, LGBT civil rights supporters in New Jersey are asking the state courts to rule that the state constitution there guarantees same-sex couples marriage equality.
Posted in Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts
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
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans