Proposition 8

With Rhode Island poised to become the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage following a key vote in the state’s General Assembly scheduled for Thursday, supporters of marriage equality are shifting their focus to other states. [ Read more → ]

There are just some people who will go to their graves believing what they believe. That is their journey – that is their little bit of racism, hatred and discrimination they will have to answer for. I believe at this moment in time, the red on the equality map needs to be celebrated. I believe the acceptance and support of our friends and families and co-workers and strangers needs to be celebrated, for these are the people who will stand by us and love us and help us to win whatever battles may lie ahead... [ Read more → ]

The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) offers this behind-the-scenes look at the preparation and planning for it's March 26 argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage. [ Read more → ]

SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Supreme Court seems reluctant to use the legal battle over California's same-sex marriage ban to rule that all gay Americans have a constitutional right to wed, but that doesn't mean gay marriage will not be returning to the state. [ Read more → ]

So it's over. Two days that are now part of LGBT history. Two back-to-back arguments at the United States Supreme Court, with most of the country paying attention—hearing about our lives, our relationships, and how discriminatory government policies and voter initiatives mark us as inferior, unequal, and vulnerable. In Wednesday's case, the issue was section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which withholds federal protection and recognition from same-sex spouses. Once again, the Justices were not only engaged, but talked about us in terms we have rarely heard in these hallowed halls... [ Read more → ]

However the Supreme Court rules after its landmark hearings on same-sex marriage, the issue seems certain to divide Americans and states for many years to come. [ Read more → ]

Sitting in the Supreme Court this morning for the Prop 8 argument alongside my Lambda Legal colleagues Jenny Pizer and Camilla Taylor, I was struck by the changed world in which we now live. Exactly 10 years ago today, the Supreme Court heard Lambda Legal’s historic Lawrence v. Texas case. At that time, 13 states still criminalized oral and anal sex and no state provided any recognition to same-sex relationships... [ Read more → ]

Much will be written about the Proposition 8 oral argument. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the Court probably will not have the five votes necessary to get to any result at all, and almost certainly will not have five votes to decide the merits of whether Proposition 8 is constitutional. Much will be written about the Proposition 8 oral argument. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the Court probably will not have the five votes necessary to get to any result at all, and almost certainly will not have five votes to decide the merits of whether Proposition 8 is constitutional... [ Read more → ]

Courtroom participants and observers spilled out into a waiting crowd of reporters and cameras on Tuesday to share their experience as witnesses to to the historic Supreme Court hearing challenging Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court took the marriage equality issue on a roller coaster ride Tuesday as it heard almost 90 minutes of argument in the case testing the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court has released the audio and transcript of Tuesday's hearing challenging Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court suggested Tuesday it could find a way out of the case over California's ban on same-sex marriage without issuing a major national ruling on whether America's gays have a right to marry. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin and plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court challenge to Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage, met with reporters earlier this morning, before departing for the U.S. Supreme Court. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is wading into the fight over same-sex marriage at a time when public opinion is shifting rapidly in favor of permitting gay and lesbian couples to wed, but 40 states don't allow it. [ Read more → ]

Two of the LGBT civil rights movement’s most important cases come before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday and Wednesday and, regardless of the outcome, they will almost certainly be the most watched oral arguments ever on an LGBT issue. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON — The most expensive ticket to "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway: $477. The face value of a great seat for this year's Super Bowl: $1,250. Guaranteed seats to watch the U.S. Supreme Court hear this week's gay marriage cases: about $6,000. [ Read more → ]

We are on the threshold of a historic decision on individual rights by the Supreme Court of the United States as it considers two cases involving same-sex marriage. The cases about “who you love” could change the laws in 41 states and more than 1,000 federal statutes. Regardless of what is said in the oral arguments, a reading of the merits briefs makes it clear that the Court will have to rule in favor of gay marriage, and will improve the lives of 130,000 legally-married couples in same-sex marriages. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON — People waiting to attend to gay marriage cases being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court have been undeterred by snow falling in the nation's capital. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- LGBT legal activists and their allies have nothing but praise for the Obama administration’s decision to submit briefs in both marriage equality cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this week. [ Read more → ]

The lesbian cousin of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will be among the invited guests at Tuesday’s historic hearing on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage. [ Read more → ]