Attorney O's Midnight Musings: Connecticut Law » Lesbian and Gay Issues

Same-Sex Weddings in California on Hold Again

Administrator — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:29:59 +0000

According to the SF Gate (San Francisco Chronicle):

“A three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco issued its ruling without explanation in a short, two-page order that imposed a stay on Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker’s Aug. 4 decision striking down the voter-approved Proposition 8.”

The decision came down on Monday.

Read: Prop. 8: Appeals court puts ruling on hold

Same-Sex Marriage To Resume on Wednesday in California

Administrator — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:49:31 +0000

Judge Vaughn Walker, the Chief Justice for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, has instructed the state of California to resume issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples at 5:00pm PDT on August 18th. His August 4th decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger struck down California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional.

The day after the decision came down, the National LGBT Bar Association hosted a national call-in to provide an analysis of the case and a possible appeal. The event was led by Kate Kendell, the Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Professor William N. Eskridge, Jr., the John A. Garver Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School. If you were unable to participate, you may listen to the recording here.

Lawyers defending Proposition 8 have said they will seek an immediate stay of the ruling to allow gay marriages to resume next Wednesday.

Here’s a Reuters video report.

Here’s a video report from EuroNews.

Connecticut Law Tribune Article Revisits Same-Sex Marriage in Connecticut One Year Later

Administrator — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:24:42 +0000

The December 14, 2009 issue of the Connecticut Law Tribune featured an article written by veteran reporter, Douglas S. Malan focusing on what the legal community has seen since same-sex marriage was legalized in Connecticut in November, 2008. The article includes interviews with several lawyers who work with the gay and lesbian community (including yours truly).

Virtually every lawyer interviewed addressed the problems that still exists, even in the aftermath. They include the non-recognition of gay and lesbian marriages in states that have not yet legalized marriages for same-sex couples, the barriers caused by DOMA (the federal Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as between one man and one women), and the difficulties faced by same-sex couples who reside in other states who wish to obtain a divorce.

Read: A Year of Questions.

[Source: Connecticut Law Tribune]

President Obama Lifted the Ban on Entry to U.S. for Those with H.I.V.

Administrator — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:42:55 +0000

Please watch the President’s speech below: