Category Archives: State Courts

Arizona decision: narrow but ‘dangerous’

The Arizona Supreme Court this week allowed a business that produces wedding invitations to refuse creating them for same-sex couples by citing their religious beliefs. LGBT legal activists said the ruling was a very narrow but potentially dangerous in the

Another appeal on religious bias exemption coming

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon have another appeal before it, seeking a religious exemption to non-discrimination laws for businesses of public accommodation.

Supreme Court declines B&B’s appeal for religious exemption

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to accept an appeal from a Honolulu bed-and-breakfast which sought the right to refuse to accommodate a same-sex couple by citing religious beliefs. Still another such public accommodation appeal is pending before the high court,

New Jersey becomes Number 14!

In a surprise development, the New Jersey Supreme Court on Friday denied the state’s request to delay a lower court order that allows same-sex couples to begin obtaining marriage licenses there starting Monday, October 21. The news makes New

Lambda, ACLU lawsuits get boost in New Jersey and Illinois courts

In Illinois and New Jersey courts, the marriage equality movement won two more victories, including a major development that puts New Jersey on track to become the 14th state to allow same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses.

California court says Prop 8 proponents have standing in fed court

In what amounts to a bump in the road for opponents of Proposition 8, a unanimous California Supreme Court told a federal appeals court November 17 that California law “authorizes” the proponents of the initiative to defend it in federal

New birth certificate lawsuit in Iowa

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

New guidelines for same-sex parenting and custody

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

California court seems torn over Prop 8 standing issue

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.

Lawsuit seeks marriage equality in New Jersey

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.