By Lisa Keen on February 21, 2011
The Dept. of Health and Human Services said it “strongly supports” regulations which protect the rights of health care providers from being “compelled to perform or assist in an abortion.” But what it did not say was of greater interest to the LGBT community.
Posted in Federal Courts, Health, Issues, Law, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on February 16, 2011
The road to marriage equality in California just got a little longer. The California Supreme Court said today it would make ruling on whether Yes on 8 proponents have authority, under California law, to appeal a federal court ruling that the initiative is unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on February 12, 2011
Same-sex couples with adopted children living in states with anti-gay adoption laws and attitudes had more mental health issues in their first year of parenthood than couples with adopted children living in more accepting states, a new study has found.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, News, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on February 9, 2011
So much attention has been paid to the landmark challenge to California’s ban on same-sex marriage that another very important case regarding gay couples has gone almost unnoticed. And this latter case will be heard before the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on February 14.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on January 30, 2011
Reaction has been mixed to the Pentagon’s status report Friday, January 28, saying training to prepare for implementation of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell could begin as early as next month.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Law
By Lisa Keen on January 26, 2011
President Obama on January 26 appointed two prominent gays to important positions in his administration and nominated an openly gay attorney to a judgeship for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Posted in Appointees, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on January 26, 2011
A federal circuit court heard arguments January 19 in a case that asks whether states must recognize adoptions by same-sex parents from other states–and the outcome could have “frightening” implications for the rights of adoptive parents.
Posted in Adoption, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on January 18, 2011
The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday refused to hear the appeal of a group of clergy in Washington, D.C., who want to put the city’s new marriage equality law on the ballot.
Posted in Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Supreme Court
By Lisa Keen on January 14, 2011
The U.S. Department of Justice filed its brief January 13 with a federal appeals court that will hear the government’s appeal of two district court decisions that found the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on January 4, 2011
A 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel surprised many Proposition 8 observers Tuesday when it suddenly issued five documents relating to the case. But there was no decision Tuesday in Perry v. Schwarzenegger.
Posted in Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on December 28, 2010
The North Carolina Supreme Court on December 20 voided the adoption by a lesbian mother of the child who she and her former partner, the biological mother, were raising together. The ruling jeopardizes the legality of all other such “second-parent adoptions” in the state.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts
By Lisa Keen on December 13, 2010
Activists pushing for repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell delivered on a threat Monday and filed a third lawsuit aimed at having the courts strike the military’s ban on openly gay people.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News
By Lisa Keen on December 6, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — Famed attorney Ted Olson told a 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel Monday that the reason proponents of Proposition 8 have proffered to justify their ban on same-sex marriage is “nonsense.”
Posted in Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, Marriage/Relationships, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Lisa Keen on November 12, 2010
In a move that did not catch anyone by surprise, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday denied a request from attorneys for Log Cabin Republicans to vacate an order that enabled the military to continue enforcing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Supreme Court
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 Lisa Keen on November 1, 2010
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Monday granted the government’s request to permanently delay enforcement of a lower court order to stop enforcement of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on October 26, 2010
The U.S. Department of Education is issuing guidance to school officials today (October 26), reminding them that federal law requires schools to take action against bullying—including gender-based and sexual harassment of LGBT students.
Posted in Law, News
By Dana Rudolph on October 23, 2010
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced Friday that he will not challenge a September 22 state appellate court ruling that overturned Florida’s ban on adoption by gay men or lesbians. This means the 33-year-old ban has ended.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, State Courts
By Lisa Keen on October 21, 2010
A lawsuit over a referendum on same-sex marriage has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. And it’s not Proposition 8.
Posted in Federal Courts, 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