Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, January 05, 2011)—New Mexico Attorney Gary King released an opinion on January 4, 2011 concluding that marriages between same-sex couples validly entered in other states or countries would be honored in New Mexico. New Mexico law generally provides that the state will recognize valid out-of-state marriages, even if the marriage would not have been permitted under New Mexico’s own marriage laws. The Attorneys General of...
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marriage equality
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, January 04, 2011)—Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Imperial County’s attempt to intervene in the federal court challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. The Ninth Circuit also asked the California Supreme Court to clarify whether the group that placed Prop 8 on the ballot has a legal right to appeal Judge Walker’s decision that...
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, December 6, 2010)—Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal court challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that stripped the freedom to marry from same-sex couples in California. U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled in August that the measure violated the U.S. Constitution, and Proposition 8’s proponents appealed that ruling to the Ninth Circuit....
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, December 3, 2010)—Today, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors announced that he will step down from his position on March 31, 2011, after nine years with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality organization that he shaped into one of the most effective political advocacy organizations in the country. Under his leadership, Equality California was able to work with the dedicated pro-equality members...
On August 16, 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Proposition 8 proponents’ motion to stay U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision, which means that same-sex couples in California will not be able to marry while the case is on appeal. However, the Ninth Circuit put the appeal on a fast track and specifically directed the Prop 8 proponents to address “why the appeal should not be dismissed for lack of Article III standing” in their opening brief. That means that the...
A statement from NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, August 12, 2010)—Today, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that there was no basis to stay his Aug. 4 ruling that Proposition 8 violates the United States Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal protection of the laws. However, Walker also ordered that marriages cannot begin until Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. in order to give the United States Court of Appeals time to review his decision to deny the stay. A...
A statement from NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, August 6, 2010)—Today, both California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown filed separate motions opposing a stay of U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision to overturn Prop. 8. A Statement from NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell: “We salute Attorney General Brown and Governor Schwarzenegger for their leadership in opposing any further delay in implementing Judge Walker’s...
(Washington, D.C., July 15, 2010) —Today, in a 5-4 decision, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals – D.C.’s highest court – upheld marriage equality in the District by reaffirming earlier decisions of the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and the D.C. Superior Court. The appeals court held that the Board was correct to reject repeated petitions by anti-LGBTQ groups to put marriage equality to a citywide referendum. In today’s ruling, the District Columbia Court of Appeals...
A Statement from NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter (San Francisco, CA, July 8, 2010)—Today, in the cases Gill v. Office of Personnel Management and Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Department of Health and Human Services, which challenge the constitutionality of the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), Judge Joseph Tauro of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the denial of federal rights and benefits to lawfully married same-sex couples is...
A statement from Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, July 6, 2010)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) condemned Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle’s veto of a bill that would have allowed both same-sex and different-sex couples in Hawaii to protect their families by entering into civil unions. A statement from NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell: “Governor Lingle has demonstrated a shocking disregard for the well-being of Hawaii families. The civil-union bill...