By Lisa Keen on June 14, 2011
As expected, a federal judge in San Francisco on Tuesday refused to vacate last year’s landmark ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on June 13, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO – It now seems unlikely that a federal judge will vacate a landmark decision in which a gay judge ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on June 7, 2011
Openly gay Judge Vaughn Walker won’t be in the courtroom next Monday (June 13)—at least not physically. But he’ll certainly be there in name–and so may be U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on May 27, 2011
When openly gay federal district court nominee Paul Oetken went before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in March, Senator Charles Grassley was the only Republican who showed up. He introduced Oetken, who was born in his home state of Iowa, but had no questions.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law
By Lisa Keen on April 26, 2011
Proponents of Proposition 8 filed a motion Monday, April 25, in federal district court, seeking to vacate the August 2010 ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker that the initiative is unconstitutional, citing Walker’s recent disclosure that he is gay.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on April 26, 2011
Less than a week after a law firm signed a contract to represent the U.S. House in defending DOMA in federal court, the law firm began to withdraw from the agreement.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 22, 2011
A man accused of helping a former lesbian sneak a child out of the country, violating a court order that the mother turn the child over to her former same-sex partner, was arrested April 18 and will be arraigned in federal court in Vermont on Monday, April 25.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News
By Lisa Keen on April 19, 2011
The U.S. House has obligated itself to pay more than $500,000 for outside attorneys to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal courts. And the House has chosen a firm which clearly prides itself on including LGBT lawyers among its staff.
Posted in Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 15, 2011
Democrats came out swinging Friday, April 15, during a House subcommittee hearing on the Department of Justice announcement that it would curtail its defense of the federal ban on recognition of same-sex marriages.
Posted in Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on April 14, 2011
A recent federal court decision–in a case stemming from a conservative response to GLSEN’s Day of Silence–has upheld the right of students to express certain anti-gay sentiments.
Posted in Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on April 13, 2011
In a case that calls into question the responsibility of states to recognize adoptions granted in other states, a federal circuit court said Louisiana does not have to put the names of two gay fathers on the birth certificate of a Louisiana-born boy whom they adopted in New York.
Posted in Adoption, Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on April 7, 2011
The Arkansas Supreme Court unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s ban on adoption and foster parenting by any person cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage. The state high court said the law violates “fundamental privacy rights implicit in the Arkansas Constitution.”
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on March 31, 2011
Just days after putting the applications for green cards on hold for same-sex married couples, the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced it is back to processing them again–with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in play.
Posted in Federal Courts, Immigration, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Lisa Keen on March 29, 2011
U.S. immigration officials confirmed that the green card applications of immigrants who are in marriages with same-sex partners who are American citizens will be “held in abeyance” until the Department of Justice provides “final guidance related to distinct legal issues” involved in such cases.
Posted in Federal Courts, Immigration, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News
By Dana Rudolph on March 23, 2011
The Arkansas Supreme Court heard arguments March 17 in a case to determine whether the state constitution will allow a law banning any person cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage from adopting or foster a child. It is a case some legal observers expect could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts
By Lisa Keen on March 17, 2011
Efforts to secure equal benefits for a gay federal court employee in San Francisco suffered a setback Wednesday when a federal judge dismissed the employee’s lawsuit. But Lambda Legal Defense says the dismissal has a silver lining.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, Lawsuits, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on March 17, 2011
The Delaware Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the right of a woman to be identified as a “de facto” parent of a child she had been raising with her former same-sex partner—a child the partner adopted but that the woman herself did not.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts
By Lisa Keen on March 2, 2011
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an anti-gay protester’s demonstrations in close proximity to a private funeral service are protected by the First Amendment.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on February 23, 2011
The Obama administration made a blockbuster announcement Wednesday, saying it has concluded that one part of the Defense of Marriage Act will not be able to pass constitutional muster in the 2nd Circuit and that DOJ would not defend that part of the law in two pending cases in that circuit.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on February 23, 2011
Ted Olson, lead attorney for the lawsuit challenging California’s same-sex marriage ban, announced Wednesday that he is asking the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to lift a stay on a district court ruling that found Proposition 8 unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Circuit 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
President praises pro athlete Jason Collins for courage to come out
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans