• Federal appeals court weighs overturning marriage bans in three southern states

    Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas took their stands against same-sex marriage Friday before a federal appellate court with a powerful legacy of pushing Deep South conservatives out of their comfort zones on civil rights.

  • 5th Circuit to hear appeals in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas marriage rulings

    A federal appeals court in New Orleans will hear arguments Friday in challenges to same-sex marriage bans in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

  • U.S. Supreme Court schedules conference on Louisiana gay marriage appeal

    In September, a federal judge upheld Louisiana’s ban, a rare loss for marriage equality advocates who, at the time, had won more than 20 consecutive rulings overturning bans in other states.

  • Louisiana adds to momentum for Supreme Court review of gay marriage

    A second state — Louisiana — told the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Justices should consider taking on the constitutional dispute over same-sex marriage without waiting further. It is important, the state said in urging prompt review of a federal judge’s decision upholding Louisiana’s ban on such marriages, that the Court examine…

  • U.S. Supreme Court asked to review Louisiana same-sex marriage case

    NEW ORLEANS — Gay-rights advocates challenging Louisiana’s same-sex marriage ban want the U.S. Supreme Court to review their case before it is heard by a federal appeals court.

  • 5th Circuit schedules hearings in appeals of Texas, Louisiana gay marriage rulings

    NEW ORLEANS, La. — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Monday scheduled oral arguments in the appeals of same-sex marriage rulings from Texas and Louisiana. The court set arguments for both cases to be heard during the week of January 5, 2015.

  • Lambda Legal joins appeal of Louisiana marriage ruling to 5th Circuit

    NEW ORLEANS, La. — Lambda Legal said Tuesday it is joining the legal team representing seven Louisiana same-sex couples and the Forum for Equality Louisiana, the state’s LGBT rights organization, in their appeal to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals of last month’s U.S. District Court ruling upholding Louisiana’s gay marriage ban.

  • Fifth Circuit to hear same-sex marriage appeals from Louisiana, Texas

    NEW ORLEANS, La. — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Thursday said it will hear the appeals of same-sex marriage rulings from Texas and Louisiana. Equality on Trial reports that the two cases will be heard on the same date and by the same panel, although the date for oral arguments has not yet been scheduled.

  • Shreveport Times: Same-sex marriage ruling disappointing

    The Shreveport Times opines last week’s ruling by a federal judge upholding Louisiana’s ban on same-sex marriage … U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman claimed that there are no fundamental rights at stake, even though the Supreme Court of the United States has determined that marriage is a fundamental right in more than a dozen cases.

  • Plaintiffs file appeal notices of Louisiana same-sex marriage ruling

    NEW ORLEANS — Marriage equality supporters in Louisiana have given formal notice of their appeal of a federal court ruling upholding the state’s same-sex marriage ban. Forum for Equality Louisiana and several gay couples filed their notices Thursday and Friday in their challenge of the ban.

  • Louisiana decision contradicts more than 20 consecutive federal court rulings

    WASHINGTON – Today U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman ruled to uphold Louisiana’s ban on marriage equality. Until today, no state marriage ban had survived a federal court ruling since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its historic marriage decision in United States v. Windsor last summer. In response to today’s rulings, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Legal Director …

  • Federal judge upholds Louisiana’s ban on same-sex marriage

    NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has upheld Louisiana’s ban on same-sex marriages, as well as the state’s refusal to recognize gay marriages legally performed in other states. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman’s ruling Wednesday broke a string of 20-plus court wins for supporters of same-sex marriage since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the federal …

  • Federal judge in La. same-sex marriage case says no more arguments needed

    NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge in Louisiana says he doesn’t need to hear any more arguments in the case of a same-sex couple challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, and has signaled he is prepared to rule the ban’s constitutionality. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman heard arguments in June regarding Louisiana’s refusal to recognize the unions …

  • Judge sets the stage for Louisiana same-sex marriage rulings

    NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has set a mid-July deadline for filing briefs on multiple issues involving same-sex marriage in Louisiana. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman has already heard arguments on some of those issues regarding Louisiana’s refusal to recognize the unions of same-sex couples legally married in other states.

  • Judge in La. same-sex marriage case signals he may expand scope of ruling

    NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge in New Orleans heard arguments Wednesday on whether Louisiana must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states. Attorneys on both sides of the issue pointed to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal prohibition against recognizing legal gay marriages.

  • Federal judge to hear arguments in challenge to La. same-sex marriage ban

    NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge is set to hear arguments on whether Louisiana must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states. Wednesday morning’s hearing before U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman deals with lawsuits filed earlier this year by two same-sex couples married in Iowa who were seeking to have their marriages…