Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, December 8, 2011)—Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument about whether the courts should publicly release the video of the historic trial to overturn Proposition 8, the measure that stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in California. The court also heard oral argument on Prop 8 supporters’ outrageous request to throw out the court decision striking down the initiative. Since suffering...
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marriage equality
Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard oral arguments on two issues in Perry v. Brown, the federal court challenge to Proposition 8. In that case, two same-sex couples are challenging Prop 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the right to marry from same-sex couples in California. Following a historic trial that took place in January 2010, now-retired Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. That ruling has been on hold while the...
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, November 17, 2011)—Today, the California Supreme Court issued a decision holding that California law empowers the sponsors of Proposition 8 to appeal the federal district court’s decision in Perry v. Brown finding Prop 8 unconstitutional, even though the state’s Attorney General and Governor both agree that the district court decision striking down Prop 8 should not be appealed. Perry v. Brown is the federal challenge to...
Statement by NCLR Federal Policy Director, Maya Rupert, Esq. (Washington D.C., November 10, 2011)—Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10-8 to move forward the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would repeal the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), the 1996 law barring the federal government from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples and excluding them from all marriage-based federal protections. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,...
(San Francisco, CA, November 8, 2011)—Today, a coalition of groups advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a U.S. District Court decision that rejected a move to vacate the historic August 2010 ruling that invalidated Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal,...
(San Francisco, CA, September 23, 2011)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a brief in federal district court in Pennsylvania yesterday arguing that private employers cannot hide behind the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to justify discriminating against same-sex spouses in private benefits plans. NCLR is representing Jennifer Tobits, the widow of Sarah “Ellyn” Farley, whose parents have challenged the couple’s marriage and now seek death benefits provided by...
Statement by NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, September 19, 2011)—Today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Ware ordered the public release of the video recording of the historic trial in Perry v. Brown. In that trial, which took place in January 2010, two same-sex couples challenged Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. Following the trial, now-retired Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker...
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, September 13, 2011)—Today, the North Carolina Senate voted 30-16 to put a sweeping constitutional amendment before voters that would not only bar same-sex couples from marriage, but also deprive them of any type of legal recognition. On Monday, the bill, SB 514, cleared the House Rules Committee before it immediately moved to the full House, where legislators voted 75-42 to move it forward. The measure will go before...
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. (San Francisco, CA, September 6, 2011)—Today, the California Supreme Court heard arguments on an important question of California law that has arisen in Perry v. Brown, the ongoing federal challenge to Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot measure that stripped the fundamental right to marry from same-sex couples in California. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asked the California Supreme Court to decide whether state law gives the sponsors of...
Statement by NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter (San Francisco, CA, August 29, 2011)—Today, U.S. District Court Judge James Ware heard oral arguments about whether to unseal the video recording of the historic trial in Perry v. Brown, the challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. In August 2010, after a three-week trial in January, now-retired Chief District Judge Vaughan Walker held that Prop 8 is...