Equality Case Timeline
by Jacob Combs
Equality on Trial's Case Timeline is the only place you can find thorough, up-to-date information on the myriad marriage equality lawsuits taking place across the United States. We cover state-based challenges to domestic partnership and civil union laws, like the lawsuit against Proposition 8 in California, as well as litigation challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.
Over at our main blog, Equality on Trial provides breaking news and analysis on trial updates as well as predictions of next steps in the fight for full marriage equality. You don't have to be a lawyer to read our blog or this timeline—we constantly strive to make our coverage as thorough and accessible as possible.
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Supreme Court strikes down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional
June 26, 2013The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling by Justice Kennedy in United States v. Windsor, strikes down Section 3 of DOMA as unconstitutional under equal protection principles in the Fifth Amendment.
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Supreme Court holds that proponents of Prop 8 had no standing to appeal
June 26, 2013The Supreme Court holds in Hollingsworth v. Perry that the proponents of Prop 8, ProtectMarriage, had no standing to appeal the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Windsor DOMA challenge
March 27, 2013The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in U.S. v. Windsor, the case challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies married same-sex couples from accessing federal marital benefits. The hearing is split into two sections: a 50-minute discussion of questions of standing and jurisdiction, and a one hour discussion of the law’s merits.
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Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Prop 8 case
March 26, 2013The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California’s marriage equality ban.
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Three Utah couples challenge state constitution’s ban on marriage equality in federal court
March 25, 2013Three same-sex couples file a lawsuit in a Utah district court challenging the state’s 2004 constitutional amendment restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples only.
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ACLU and NCLR file marriage equality lawsuit in New Mexico state court
March 21, 2013The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and the National Center for Lesbian Rights file a lawsuit in a New Mexico state court on behalf of two lesbian couples alleging that New Mexico’s refusal to offer marriage licenses to same-sex couples violates the state’s constitution.
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Final Supreme Court briefs filed in Windsor DOMA case
March 20, 2013All parties in the Windsor challenge to Section 3 of DOMA file their final briefs with the Supreme Court. One brief, by the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group defending DOMA’s constitutionality, addresses the merits of the case. The other briefs, filed by BLAG, the Justice Department, Edie Windsor and a court-appointed outside attorney, address the issues of BLAG’s standing to appeal and whether or not the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the case.
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Prop 8 proponents file final reply brief with Supreme Court
March 19, 2013The proponents of Proposition 8 file their final Supreme Court brief in the Hollingsworth v. Perry case, just one week before oral arguments are scheduled at the Supreme Court. The proponents’ filing comes in response to the brief filed against Prop 8’s constitutionality by the plaintiffs challenging the law.
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Obama administration files Supreme Court brief challenging Prop 8’s constitutionality
February 28, 2013The Solicitor General files a brief on behalf of the Obama administration with the Supreme Court arguing that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
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Solicitor General asks Supreme Court to participate in Prop 8 oral argument
February 28, 2013On the same day that it files an amicus brief with the Supreme Court arguing that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, the Solicitor General also submits a request to take part in oral argument before the Court. In his motion, the Solicitor General writes that “participation in oral argument by the United States will provide the Court with the government’s unique perspective on the question presented” and asks for 10 minutes of argument time.
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American Sociological Association files Supreme Court brief regarding same-sex parenting
February 28, 2013The American Sociological Association (ASA) files a friend of the court brief in both the Windsor DOMA case and the Prop 8 case arguing that children do just as well when raised by same-sex parents as they do when raised by opposite-sex parents.
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Over 100 Republicans argue for marriage equality in Supreme Court brief on Prop 8
February 28, 2013More than 100 prominent Republicans sign a Supreme Court brief in the Prop 8 case arguing that the California constitutional amendment violates the U.S. Constitution and that marriage equality should be a nationwide, constitutional right.
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Parties to the Windsor DOMA challenge asks Supreme Court for 125 minute oral argument
February 26, 2013The Solicitor General files a request with the Supreme Court in the Windsor DOMA challenge, joined by all the parties to the case, asking the Court to allow for 125 minutes of oral argument time in the case as opposed to the usual 60 minutes.
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Edith Windsor files Supreme Court brief arguing DOMA Section 3 is unconstitutional
February 26, 2013Edith Windsor, the original plaintiff in the DOMA challenge U.S. v. Windsor, files a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that DOMA’s Section 3 is unconstitutional. In the brief, Windsor’s lawyers argue that “DOMA’s discriminatory treatment of married gay couples violates Ms. Windsor’s right to the equal protections of the laws as guaranteed by the […]
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Justice Department files Supreme Court brief challenging DOMA Section 3’s constitutionality
February 22, 2013The U.S. Department of Justice files a brief on the merits in the U.S. v. Windsor case arguing that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. In its brief, the DOJ argues that laws pertaining to gays and lesbians should be considered by courts using the more searching heightened scrutiny standard, reflecting a February 2011 determination by President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to that effect.
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Prop 8 plaintiffs file Supreme Court brief challenging the law’s constitutionality
February 21, 2013The plaintiffs in the Prop 8 file a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that the law violates both the due process and equal protection rights of same-sex couples in California, and that it and all such marriage equality bans across the U.S. should be declared unconstitutional.
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Sevcik petition distributed by Supreme Court for March 15 conference
February 20, 2013The Supreme Court distributes a petition filed by the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage asking for review of the district court decision in the Sevcik case and schedules the case to be considered during the Court’s March 15 conference.
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Cook County court denies motion to stay Darby/Lazaro
February 13, 2013Judge Sophia Hall of the Cook County Circuit Court denies a motion by the Thomas More Society for a stay of proceedings in the case pending the outcome of the Supreme Court’s consideration of two gay rights cases, the DOMA challenge U.S. v. Windsor and the Prop 8 case, Hollingsworth v. Perry.
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Michigan county clerk drops defense of state ban on marriage equality in DeBoer
February 12, 2013The outgoing county clerk of Oakland County, Michigan, Bill Bullard, files a request with the district court hearing the DeBoer challenge to the state’s marriage equality ban asking to withdraw a motion to dismiss the case in which he defended the ban’s constitutionality.
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Sevcik plaintiffs petition Supreme Court to deny review of the district court ruling
February 12, 2013Lambda Legal, representing the plaintiffs in the Sevcik case challenging Nevada’s marriage laws, file a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that it should not review the district court’s ruling upholding Nevada’s refusal to grant marriages to same-sex couples.
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Supreme Court-appointed attorney files brief on standing in Windsor
January 24, 2013Victoria C. Jackson, the outside attorney appointed by the Supreme Court to address the questions of standing in the Windsor v. USA DOMA case, files a brief arguing that BLAG does not have standing to defend DOMA in court and that the Supreme Court itself has no jurisdiction to hear the case because the Justice Department agrees with the lower courts’ rulings striking down DOMA as unconstitutional.
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BLAG files opening Supreme Court brief in Windsor
January 22, 2013The House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) files a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that DOMA is constitutional and that the Court should uphold the law.
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Prop 8 proponents file opening Supreme Court brief defending the law
January 22, 2013The proponents of Prop 8 file their opening brief with the Supreme Court arguing that the California constitutional amendment which repealed marriage equality in the state does not violate the U.S. Constitution and should be upheld.
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Ninth Circuit places Sevcik and Jackson on parallel briefing schedules, issues temporary stay of proceedings
January 7, 2013The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals approves a request to place the Sevcik and Jackson cases challenging the marriage laws of Nevada and Hawaii, respectively, on a parallel schedule for briefing and oral argument.
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Supreme Court sets oral argument dates for DOMA/Prop 8 cases
January 7, 2013The Supreme Court announces its March 2013 oral arguments calendar, which includes consideration of the Prop 8 case (Hollingsworth v. Perry) on March 26 and the DOMA case (United States v. Windsor) on March 27.
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Sevcik plaintiffs file reply with Ninth Circuit regarding parallel scheduling with Jackson
December 28, 2012Lambda Legal and the plaintiffs in the Sevcik v. Sandoval case challenging Nevada’s marriage laws file a brief with the Ninth Circuit responding to Hawaii Family Forum’s opposition to a parallel briefing schedule for Sevcik and the Hawaii marriage equality case Jackson v. Abercrombie.
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Coalition for Protection of Marriage opposes motion for parallel schedules in Jackson and Sevcik
December 21, 2012The Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, the anti-gay group permitted to intervene in defense of Nevada’s marriage laws in the Sevcik marriage equality case, files a brief opposing a motion to place the case and another marriage equality challenge out of Hawaii on a parallel schedule at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Supreme Court sets briefing schedule for Windsor DOMA case
December 14, 2012The Supreme Court releases an order outlining the briefing schedule in the Windsor v. USA case challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.
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Hawaii Family Forum asks Ninth Circuit to stay Jackson case pending Supreme Court decision on Prop 8
December 13, 2012Hawaii Family Forum, the defendant-intervenors defending Hawaii’s marriage laws in the marriage equality challenge Jackson v. Abercrombie, file a motion with the Ninth Circuit asking the court to put the case on hold pending the Supreme Court’s final decision on the constitutionality of Prop 8.
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Hawaii governor tells Ninth Circuit he supports parallel scheduling of Jackson/Sevcik
December 12, 2012Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie files a brief with the Ninth Circuit supporting the request made by Lambda Legal, the group spearheading the Sevcik marriage equality challenge in Nevada, to place that case and a marriage equality case out of Hawaii called Jackson on a parallel schedule at the circuit court.
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Ninth Circuit Stays Golinski pending final Supreme Court resolution of Windsor
December 11, 2012The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issues an order staying proceedings in the California DOMA case Golinski v. OPM pending a final decision by the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of DOMA in the Windsor v. USA case.
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Supreme Court appoints outside lawyer to argue standing issues in DOMA case
December 11, 2012The Supreme Court appoints Vicki Jackson, a Harvard Law School professor, to argue in the Windsor case challenging the constitutionality of DOMA that neither the U.S. Justice Department (which refuses to defend the law) nor the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (which House Republicans have tasked with defending the statute) have standing to pursue the appeal with the high court.
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Plaintiffs in Nevada marriage equality challenge petition Ninth Circuit to schedule their appeal with parallel Hawaii case
December 11, 2012The plaintiffs in the Nevada marriage equality case Sevcik v. Sandoval petition the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to schedule their appeal with the a similar one out of a Hawaii district court in the Jackson v. Abercrombie case.
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Supreme Court announces it will consider the constitutionality of Prop 8 and DOMA
December 7, 2012In a late afternoon order, the U.S. Supreme Court announces that it will take up the Prop 8 case and the Windsor challenge to DOMA and issue rulings on the two laws’ constitutionality by the end of its 2013 session.
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Defenders of Nevada’s marriage equality ban petition Supreme Court for review of Sevcik
December 5, 2012The Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, the Nevada anti-gay group behind Nevada’s marriage equality ban, asks the Supreme Court to review the district court decision upholding the ban before the completion of an appeal at the Ninth Circuit.
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Sevcik plaintiffs file appeal with Ninth Circuit
December 3, 2012Lambda Legal files an appeal of the district court decision in the Sevcik case upholding Nevada’s marriage equality ban with the Ninth Circuit.
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Darby/Lazaro court denies anti-gay group’s motion to intervene
November 30, 2012Cook County Circuit Court Judge Sophia Hall denies the motions to intervene filed in the Darby/Lazaro case by the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) and two churches, the Church of Christian Liberty and Grace-Gospel Fellowship.
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Illinois court refuses to allow anti-gay churches, advocacy group to join lawsuit against state marriage equality ban
November 30, 2012Judge Sophia Hall denies a request filed by two churches, the Church of Christian Liberty and Grace Gospel Fellowship, and an anti-gay advocacy group called the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) to intervene in the Darby/Lazaro case.
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District court judge upholds Nevada’s marriage equality ban
November 29, 2012A federal district court judge in Nevada issues a ruling in the Sevcik v. Sandoval case upholding the state’s two-tier marriage laws, under which opposite-sex couples may marry but same-sex couples may only enter into domestic partnership laws. In his ruling, Judge Robert Jones rejects the plaintiffs’ claim that Nevada’s denial of marriage to same-sex couples violates their equal protection rights.
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Second Circuit delays briefing in DOMA case pending Supreme Court review
November 28, 2012The Second Circuit grants a motion filed by the Obama Administration seeking to suspend the briefing schedule in the Pedersen v. OPM case challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act pending possible Supreme Court review of the case.
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Ninth Circuit stays Hawaii case pending Supreme Court action on Prop 8, DOMA
October 18, 2012The Ninth Circuit grants a stay in Jackson until December 17, 2012 pending Supreme Court action in the DOMA and Prop 8 cases.
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Second Circuit Declares DOMA Unconstitutional in Windsor
October 18, 2012A 3-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a district court ruling striking down Section 3 of DOMA as unconstitutional in the Windsor case. Significantly, the panel’s decision is the first Second Circuit ruling to hold that laws pertaining to gays and lesbians should be considered under more searching heightened scrutiny level of review.
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Judge Hears Oral Arguments on Motion to Intervene in Darby/Lazaro
September 27, 2012Cook County Circuit Court Judge Sophia Hall hears oral arguments regarding the Illinois Family Institute’s request to intervene in the Lazaro/Darby suit.
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Second Circuit Hears Oral Arguments in Windsor Case
September 27, 2012A 3-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan hears oral arguments in the appeal of a district court ruling striking down DOMA and awarding a tax refund to Edie Windsor.
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BLAG Files Appeal Pedersen Decision with Second Circuit
September 26, 2012BLAG appeals the district court decision striking down DOMA in the Pedersen case to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Supreme Court makes no announcement regarding DOMA, Prop 8 cases
September 24, 2012The Supreme Court makes no announcement following its September 24 conference regarding whether or not it will hear the legal challenges to the constitutionality of DOMA or Proposition 8. The cases are later scheduled for other conferences throughout the fall, after which the Court also makes no announcement.
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District Court Judge Cancels Oral Arguments in Sevcik
September 17, 2012In an unexpected move, Judge Robert Jones cancels the oral arguments in the Sevcik case that he had previously scheduled for November 26. In his order, Judge Jones writes that “[t]he court will issue a written order on the pleadings.”
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DOJ Files Certiorari Petition with Supreme Court in Windsor Case
September 11, 2012The Justice Department files its own petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court, but asks the Court to put the petition on hold pending its consideration of two other certiorari petitions in the DOMA cases of Gill/Massachusetts and Golinski.
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DOJ Files Certiorari Petition with Supreme Court in Pedersen Case
September 11, 2012The Justice Department files a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court, but asks the Court to put the petition on hold pending its consideration of two other certiorari petitions in the DOMA cases of Gill/Massachusetts and Golinski.
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Lambda Legal and Nevada Government Defendants File for Summary Judgment in Sevcik
September 10, 2012On the same day, Lambda Legal and the Sevcik plaintiffs file a motion for summary judgment with the district court, as do Governor Brian Sandoval and the other governmental defendants. In their briefs, the two sides ask Judge Jones to rule in the case in their favor without taking the suit to the trial phase.
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Michigan Couple Challenges State’s Marriage Equality Ban
September 7, 2012Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer file an amended complaint in a Michigan district court arguing that the state’s marriage amendment, which limits marriage to heterosexual couples, violates gay and lesbian Michiganders’ equal protection and due process laws.
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Plaintiffs Appeal Jackson Case to Ninth Circuit
September 7, 2012Natasha Jackson, Janin Kleid and Gary Bradley, the plaintiffs in the Jackson case, appeal Judge Kay’s decision upholding Hawaii’s marriage laws to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On the same day, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie also appeals the decision to the Ninth Circuit.
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Supreme Court Schedules Conference to Consider Taking Up Prop 8 Case
September 5, 2012The Supreme Court announces on its website that the Prop 8 case (now known as Hollingsworth v. Perry after Prop 8 proponent Dennis Hollingsworth) has been scheduled for a conference on September 24 at which the Court will consider whether or not to take up the appeal.
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Windsor Case Scheduled for September 24 Supreme Court Conference
September 5, 2012The Supreme Court announces on its website that the Windsor case has been scheduled for a conference on September 24 at which the Court will consider whether or not to take up the case.
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BLAG Opposes Supreme Court Review
August 31, 2012The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group files a brief with the Supreme Court opposing the Justice Department’s request that the high court hear the case before the Ninth Circuit.
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Federal Judge Encourages Michigan Couple to Challenge State Ban on Marriage Equality
August 29, 2012District Court Judge Bernard Friedman, a George W. Bush appointee, invites a gay couple whose adoption suit he is hearing to amend their lawsuit to challenge Michigan’s constitutional ban on marriages for gay and lesbian couples. Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer had been before the court seeking to adopt their three children as a couple, since Michigan law only allows each child to be adopted by one of the women.
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Second Circuit Refuses to Expedite Pedersen
August 28, 2012Without comment, the Second Circuit denies GLAD’s request for an expedited appeal in the Pedersen case.
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Second Circuit Rejects Motion to Suspend Oral Arguments in Windsor
August 23, 2012The Second Circuit issues a one-sentence order rejecting BLAG’s request that it postpone oral arguments in the Windsor case until the Supreme Court decides whether or not it will consider the case on appeal.
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Pedersen Plaintiffs Appeal Case to Supreme Court
August 21, 2012GLAD and the plaintiffs in the Pedersen case file a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court, asking it to take up the Connecticut district court ruling striking down DOMA before it is reviewed by the Second Circuit.
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Pedersen Plaintiffs Ask Second Circuit to Expedite Appeal
August 21, 2012GLAD files a motion with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals asking it to expedite its consideration of the Pedersen district court ruling striking down DOMA.
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Justice Department Appeals Pedersen to Second Circuit
August 17, 2012The Justice Department files an appeal with the Second Circuit of Judge Bryant’s opinion striking down DOMA.
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BLAG Asks Second Circuit to Halt Oral Arguments in Windsor Case
August 15, 2012BLAG files a brief with the Second Circuit, asking it to postpone oral arguments in Windsor until the Supreme Court either approves or denies Edie Windsor’s petition for a writ of certiorari.
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Judge Holds Preliminary Hearing on Sevcik Case
August 10, 2012District Court Judge Robert Jones, a George W. Bush appointee, hears arguments in Las Vegas in a preliminary hearing for the Sevcik v. Sandoval case. Two motions are considered during the hearing, one by the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage seeking to intervene in defense of Nevada’s marriage laws and another by Governor Brian Sandoval seeking to dismiss the suit.
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Federal Judge Upholds Hawaii’s Lack of Marriage Equality
August 8, 2012Judge Alan Kay rules that Hawaii’s marriage laws, which prohibit gay and lesbian couples from marrying, are constitutional, rejecting a lesbian couple’s claim that the laws violate their Fourteenth Amendment rights. In a 120-page opinion, Judge Kay writes that “Hawaii’s marriage laws are not unconstitutional,” and says that “[i]f the traditional institution of marriage is to be reconstructed, as sought by the plaintiffs, it should be done by a democratically elected legislature of the people through a constitutional amendment.”
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Gill Plaintiffs Encourage Supreme Court to Take Up Gill and Massachusetts
August 2, 2012GLAD, representing the plaintiffs in the Gill case, files a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court asking it to take up the combined Gill and Massachusetts case.
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Connecticut Judge Rules DOMA Unconstitutional in Pedersen
July 31, 2012Connecticut District Court Judge Vanessa Bryant issues a ruling striking down DOMA, declaring there is “no conceivable rational basis” for the law and that it thus violates the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection principles.
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Prop 8 Proponents Ask Supreme Court to Review Prop 8 Case
July 31, 2012Prop 8’s proponents file a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court, asking the high court to overturn the lower courts’ rulings invalidating Prop 8.
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Ninth Circuit Oral Argument Cancelled
July 27, 2012The Ninth Circuit cancels oral argument in the Golinski case pending the results of a request for Supreme Court review brought by the Justice Department.
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Preliminary Hearing Held in Jackson Case
July 24, 2012Judge Alan Kay hears oral arguments at a preliminary hearing in Honolulu in the Jackson case.
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Massachusetts Encourages Supreme Court to Take Up Gill and Massachusetts
July 24, 2012The Commonwealth of Massachusetts files a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court in the combined Gill and Massachusetts case.
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Lambda Legal Files Brief Supporting Supreme Court Review in Golinski
July 23, 2012Lambda Legal and Karen Golinski file a brief with the Supreme Court supporting the Justice Department’s argument that the high court should hear the case before it is decided in the Ninth Circuit.
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ACLU Files Petition for Certiorari with Supreme Court in Windsor
July 16, 2012The ACLU files a petition with the Supreme Court on behalf of Edie Windsor asking for review of her case against DOMA before it is decided by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Illinois Family Institute Files Motion to Intervene in Darby/Lazaro
July 13, 2012The Illinois Family Institute, a Carol Stream, Illinois-based conservative organization, files a motion in the Lazaro/Darby lawsuit seeking to intervene to defend Illinois’s marriage laws.
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Judge Denies Stay of Pedersen Proceedings
July 4, 2012Judge Vanessa Bryant, a George W. Bush appointee, denies BLAG’s request for a stay of proceedings in the Pedersen case.
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DOJ Files Cert Petition with Supreme Court for Review of Golinski Case
July 3, 2012The Justice Department files a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court, seeking to bypass the circuit court appeal level in the Golinski case.
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Justice Department Encourages Supreme Court to Take Up Gill and Massachusetts
July 3, 2012The Justice Department files a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court in the combined Gill and Massachusetts case.
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Thomas More Society Files Motion to Intervene in Darby/Lazaro
July 2, 2012The Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based conservative Christian legal organization, files a brief with the county court seeking to intervene in defense of Illinois’s marriage laws.
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BLAG Appeals Gill and Massachusetts to Supreme Court
June 29, 2012The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, which is defending DOMA on behalf of the House of Representatives, files a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court in the combined Gill and Massachusetts case.
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Illinois County Clerks Announce They Will Oppose Marriage Equality in Court
June 29, 2012Two Illinois county clerks file a motion in the combined Lazaro/Darby case requesting to intervene in defense of the state’s civil unions law.
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Pedersen Plaintiffs Oppose Stay
June 22, 2012GLAD and the plaintiffs in the Pedersen case file a brief with the Connecticut district court opposing BLAG’s motion asking the court to stay all proceedings in the case pending higher appellate rulings on the constitutionality of DOMA.
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Illinois County Judge Agrees to Combine Darby and Lazaro Lawsuits
June 21, 2012At a hearing in Chicago, Judge Moshe Jacobius, Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, agrees to combine the two marriage equality lawsuits that the court is hearing (Darby v. Orr and Lazaro v. Orr, filed by Lambda Legal and the ACLU, respectively).
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BLAG Seeks Stay of Pedersen Proceedings
June 20, 2012BLAG files a motion with the Pedersen district court, asking the court to stay any further proceedings in the case pending the resolution of the New York Windsor case challenging DOMA.
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Both Sides File for Summary Judgment in Jackson
June 15, 2012On the same day, both parties to the Jackson case file motions with the court asking Judge Kay to rule in their favor without proceeding to a full trial.
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Justice Department Files Windsor Appeal with Second Circuit
June 14, 2012The Department of Justice files its own appeal of the Windsor decision with the Second Circuit, asking it to review the district court decision declaring DOMA unconstitutional.
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Illinois County Attorney Files Brief Supporting Marriage Equality in Darby and Lazaro
June 14, 2012Anita Alvarez, the Cook County State’s Attorney, files briefs in the Darby and Lazaro lawsuits arguing that the state’s ban on marriage equality is unconstitutional.
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ACLU Edie Windsor Second Circuit to Expedite Appeal
June 11, 2012Edie Windsor’s attorneys files a request with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, asking it to put the appeal of her case on an expedited schedule.
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BLAG Files Windsor Appeal with Second Circuit
June 8, 2012The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group files an appeal asking the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision of the district court ruling in the Windsor case.
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DOMA Struck Down in Windsor Case
June 6, 2012Judge Barbara Jones, a Bill Clinton appointee, rules in Edie Windsor’s favor and strikes down DOMA as unconstitutional, ruling that Windsor should be refunded over $363,000 in estate taxes that the New Yorker paid upon the death of her wife.
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Ninth Circuit Denies Rehearing of Prop 8 Case
June 5, 2012The Ninth Circuit denies the proponents’ request to rehear the Prop 8 case, making the 3-judge panel’s opinion the last word on the matter at the circuit court level.
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Illinois Attorney General Announces Support for Marriage Equality Lawsuits
June 1, 2012Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan files court briefs in both Darby and Lazaro seeking to intervene in the lawsuits on the side of the plaintiffs, announcing that she believes Illinois’s civil unions law violates the equal protection rights of the state’s gay and lesbian couples.
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First Circuit Upholds Lower Court Decision Invalidating DOMA in Gill and Massachusetts
May 31, 2012In a unanimous 3-0 decision, the First Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Judge Tauro’s ruling, holding that DOMA is unconstitutional.
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Lambda Legal and ACLU File Marriage Equality Suits in Illinois
May 30, 2012Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois each file a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division, contending that Illinois’s refusal to grant marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples violates the equal protection and due process rights of those couples under the state’s constitution. The Lambda Legal lawsuit is called Darby v. Orr and the ACLU lawsuit is called Lazaro v. Orr.
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Initial En Banc Hearing Denied in Golinski
May 22, 2012The Ninth Circuit denies the Justice Department’s request for an initial hearing en banc in the Golinski case.
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Nevada Governor Files Motion to Dismiss Sevcik Case
May 17, 2012Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a Republican, files a motion in district court seeking to dismiss the Sevcik case.
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Coalition for Protection of Marriage Files to Intervene in Sevcik
May 15, 2012The Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, a Nevada non-profit that opposes marriage equality, files a motion with the district court seeking to intervene in defense of the state’s marriage laws.
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District Court Judge Allows Conservative Group to Defend Hawaii’s Marriage Equality Ban in Jackson
May 2, 2012District Court Judge Alan Kay rules that the Hawaii Family Forum can defend the state’s marriage laws in court.
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Ninth Circuit Issues Order Expediting Golinski Appeal
April 11, 2012The Ninth Circuit issues an order expediting the appeal of the Golinski decision striking down DOMA.
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Lambda Legal Files Marriage Equality Lawsuit in Nevada
April 10, 2012Lambda Legal files a suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada challenging the state’s marriage laws and arguing that its denial of equal marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples violates their equal protection rights.
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First Circuit Hears Oral Argument in Gill and Massachusetts
April 4, 2012The First Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments in the companion cases of Gill v. OPM and Massachusetts v. HHS, in which DOMA was struck down as unconstitutional by a district court judge.
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DOJ Asks Ninth Circuit for an Initial En Banc Hearing in Golinski
March 26, 2012The Justice Department files a brief with the Ninth Circuit asking for an initial en banc hearing of the Golinski case rather than a hearing by a 3-judge panel. An en banc hearing is usually requested after an appellate court has ruled, although this intermediate step between the appellate court’s customary 3-judge panel and the […]
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OPM Instructs Blue Cross to Provide Coverage to Golinski’s Wife
March 9, 2012The Office of Personnel Management sends a letter to Blue Cross/Blue Shield instructing the insurance company to enroll Karen Golinski’s wife on her plan.
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Hawaii Family Forum Files Motion to Intervene in Jackson
March 1, 2012The Hawaii Family Forum, a social conservative advocacy group, files a motion in district court seeking to defend Hawaii’s marriage laws.
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BLAG Files Appeal of Golinski Decision with Ninth Circuit
February 24, 2012BLAG files an appeal with the Ninth Circuit, asking it to review Judge Jeffrey White’s ruling in the Golinski case striking down Section 3 of DOMA as an equal protection violation.
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District Court Judge Strikes DOMA Down in Golinski Case
February 22, 2012Judge Jeffrey White, a Bush appointee of the U.S. Court for the Northern District of California, issues an opinion declaring the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional using a heightened scrutiny test.
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Hawaii Governor Refuses to Defend Marriage Equality Ban in Jackson
February 21, 2012Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie announces that he will not defend Hawaii’s ban on marriages for gay and lesbian couples in district court.
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Prop 8 Proponents File for En Banc Hearing at Ninth Circuit
February 21, 2012Instead of appealing the 3-judge panel’s ruling directly to the Supreme Court, the proponents of Prop 8 file a motion with the Ninth Circuit for a rehearing en banc—essentially, a second level of appellate review that would replace the 3-judge decision and reconsider Judge Walker’s ruling anew.
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Ninth Circuit Upholds Lower Ruling, Strikes Down Prop 8
February 7, 2012The 3-judge Ninth Circuit panel issues a multi-faceted ruling on the Proposition 8 case, rejecting the argument to vacate Judge Walker’s decision striking down Prop 8, granting the proponents standing to appeal, and holding that Walker was correct in declaring Prop 8 unconstitutional.
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Ninth Circuit Overturns Release of Prop 8 Tapes
February 2, 2012The Ninth Circuit overturns Judge Ware’s decision to release the district court recordings of the Prop 8 trial, issuing an order that they remain under seal.
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Golinski District Court Judge Hears Oral Arguments
December 16, 2011District Court Judge Jeffrey White hears oral arguments in San Francisco in the case of Golinski v. OPM, challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act.
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Ninth Circuit Hears Arguments about Vacating Judge Walker’s Ruling, Returning Trial Recordings
December 8, 2011The Ninth Circuit hears oral arguments on the motion to dismiss Judge Walker’s ruling, which had been denied by District Court Judge James Ware, who took over the case upon Judge Walker’s retirement.
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Hawaii Lesbian Couple Files Suit Seeking Marriage Equality
December 7, 2011A Honolulu lesbian couple files a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii arguing that their Fourteenth Amendment rights to equal protection and due process were violated when they were refused a marriage license by the state’s health department.
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California Supreme Court Rules Proponents Have Standing to Appeal Prop 8
November 17, 2011The California Supreme Court rules that Prop 8’s proponents do have standing under California law to defend the law in court.
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Ninth Circuit Grants Emergency Stay Barring Release of Prop 8 Tapes
October 24, 2011The Ninth Circuit issues its own stay pending appeal on Judge Ware’s decision to release the Prop 8 trial recordings.
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Ninth Circuit Extends Temporary Stay Keeping Prop 8 Tapes Under Seal
September 26, 2011The Ninth Circuit issues an order extending Judge Ware’s stay on his decision to release the Prop 8 trial recordings.
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Proponents Appeal Prop 8 Tapes Decision to Ninth Circuit
September 23, 2011The Prop 8 proponents appeal Judge Ware’s order to release the trial recordings to the Ninth Circuit, seeking to keep them from being released.
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Judge Ware Orders Prop 8 Trial Tapes Released
September 19, 2011Judge Ware grants the plaintiffs’ motion to unseal the recordings of the Prop 8 trial, and places a temporary stay on the ruling that will expire on September 30.
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California Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Prop 8 Standing
September 6, 2011The California Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the issue of whether the proponents of Prop 8 have standing under California law to defend the statute in lieu of the official government defendants, who declined to defend the statute.
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First Circuit Denies Initial En Banc Hearing in Gill and Massachusetts
August 23, 2011On a tie vote, the First Circuit denies the request for initial en banc review in the Gill case.
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DOJ Sides with Edie Windsor
August 19, 2011The U.S. Justice Department files a brief with the district court in Edie Windsor’s case, arguing that DOMA is unconstitutional and the court should rule in Windsor’s favor.
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BLAG Files Motion to Dismiss Pedersen Challenge
August 15, 2011BLAG files a motion opposing the Pedersen plaintiffs’ request for summary judgment and asking the Connecticut district court hearing the challenge to dismiss the case.
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BLAG Requests Denial of Summary Judgment in Windsor
August 1, 2011The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) of the House of Representatives files a motion opposing the ACLU’s request for summary judgment and requesting that her lawsuit be dismissed by the district court.
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GLAD Files for Summary Judgment in Pedersen
July 15, 2011GLAD files for summary judgment in the Pedersen case, asking the district court to rule in favor of the plaintiffs without a full trial.
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DOJ Files Brief against DOMA, Karen Golinski Moves for Summary Judgment
July 1, 2011On the same day, the Justice Department files a strongly worded brief arguing that DOMA is unconstitutional and l, representing Karen Golinski, files for summary judgment in her case against DOMA in district court.
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Judge Ware Hears Arguments about Releasing Prop 8 Trial Tapes
June 29, 2011In San Francisco, Judge Ware hears oral arguments on the request to release the Prop 8 trial recordings to the public.
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ACLU Files for Summary Judgment in Windsor
June 24, 2011The ACLU files a motion with the district court for summary judgment on behalf of Edie Windsor, requesting that Judge Barbara Jones hear oral arguments and declare DOMA unconstitutional without a full trial.
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Plaintiffs Request Initial En Banc Hearing in Gill and Massachusetts
June 21, 2011The plaintiffs in the companion cases of Gill and Massachusetts file a request with the First Circuit asking for an initial hearing of the case en banc.
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Judge Ware Denies Motion to Vacate Ruling and Motion to Return Trial Recordings
June 14, 2011Judge Ware denies the proponents’ motion to vacate Judge Walker’s ruling on the basis of his sexuality.
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Judge Ware Hears Arguments about Vacating Judge Walker’s Ruling and Releasing Trial Recordings
June 13, 2011Judge James Ware hears oral arguments in San Francisco over the motion to vacate Judge Walker’s decision, and announces that he will issue a ruling on the matter shortly.
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BLAG Files a Motion to Intervene and Defend DOMA in Golinski Case
June 3, 2011The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the U.S. House of Representatives files a brief in district court seeking to intervene in the Golinski suit in defense of DOMA.
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House of Representatives Moves to Intervene in Gill and Massachusetts
May 20, 2011On the heels of the Justice Department’s decision not to defend DOMA in court, the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) of the U.S House of Representatives files a motion with the First Circuit seeking to intervene in the case in defense of DOMA.
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Prop 8 Proponents Try to Vacate Judge Walker’s Ruling
April 25, 2011On April 6, 2011, two months after his retirement from the bench, Judge Vaughn Walker tells a group of reporters that he is gay and in a long-term relationship, adding that he never considered recusing himself from the case because of his sexuality. Later that month, on April 25, the Prop 8 proponents file a motion in district court with Judge James Ware, who took over the case after Judge Walker’s retirement, seeking to vacate Walker’s decision on the grounds of his sexual orientation.
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AFER Files Request with Ninth Circuit to Release Prop 8 Trial Tapes
April 15, 2011AFER’s Ted Olson and David Boies file a motion with the Ninth Circuit on behalf of the plaintiffs arguing that the recordings of the Prop 8 trial at district court should be treated as public records and released.
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Lambda Legal Files Complaint Directly Challenging DOMA in Golinski
April 14, 2011Lambda Legal and Karen Golinski file an amended brief in district court, challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act by arguing that it discriminates against her “as a lesbian married to someone of the same sex.”
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Prop 8 Proponents Move to Force Judge Walker to Return Trial Tapes
April 13, 2011The proponents of Prop 8 file a request asking the Ninth Circuit to order that Judge Vaughn Walker return his videotapes of the Prop 8 trial.
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Judge Dismisses Golinski Lawsuit, Sets Deadline for Amended Complaint Challenging DOMA
March 16, 2011District Court Judge Jeffrey White, a George W. Bush appointee, dismisses Karen Golinski’s suit, but invites her to file an amended complaint by April 15, 2011 challenging the constitutionality of DOMA.
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Obama Administration Reverses Course, Drops Defense of DOMA
February 24, 2011In a dramatic development, the Obama administration announces that it will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court. In a letter addressed to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Attorney General Eric Holder writes that President Obama has determined that DOMA violates the Fifth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
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Golinski Judge Asks Justice Department to Respond to Eric Holder’s Letter on DOMA
February 23, 2011Following Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that the Justice Department will not defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court, Judge Jeffrey White asks the government how to proceed with the Golinski case.
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California Supreme Court Takes Up Prop 8 Standing Question
February 16, 2011The California Supreme Court announces that it will accept the question from the Ninth Circuit regarding the standing of the proponents of Prop 8 under state law.
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Justice Department Files Briefings in Appeals of Gill and Massachusetts
January 13, 2011The Department of Justice files its opening brief in the appeals of Gill v. OPM and Massachusetts v. HHS, two companion decisions striking down Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional.
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Ninth Circuit Refers Prop 8 Standing Question to California Supreme Court
January 4, 2011Postponing any decision of the Prop 8 case on the merits, the 3-judge Ninth Circuit panel certifies a question to the California Supreme Court asking whether the proponents of Prop 8 have standing under state law to defend the ballot measure in court.
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Prop 8 Trial Oral Arguments Take Place at the Ninth Circuit
December 6, 2010A 3-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit hears arguments in San Francisco regarding the appeal of Judge Walker’s decision striking down Prop 8.
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Judge Reinhardt Denies Recusal Request in Prop 8 Case
December 2, 2010Just one day after the proponents’ motion arguing that he should recuse himself, Ninth Circuit Judge Stephen Reinhardt announces that he will not remove himself from the panel considering the appeal of Prop 8.
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Prop 8 Proponents Move to Disqualify Judge Reinhardt from Ninth Circuit Panel
December 1, 2010ProtectMarriage.com, the proponents of Proposition 8, file a motion with the Ninth Circuit seeking to remove Judge Stephen Reinhardt from the 3-judge panel that will hear the appeal of the district court decision striking down Prop 8.
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ACLU Files Challenge against DOMA on behalf of Edie Windsor
November 9, 2010The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) files suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act on behalf of Edie Windsor.
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GLAD Files Complaint against DOMA in Connecticut District Court
November 9, 2010Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) files a suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut on behalf of seven citizens of Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire, arguing that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.
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Justice Department Appeals DOMA Decision in Gill and Massachusetts
October 12, 2010The U.S. Department of Justice files notices of appeal in both the Gill and Massachusetts cases with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking to overturn Judge Tauro’s decision striking down DOMA as unconstitutional.
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Massachusetts District Court Judge Stays DOMA Decision
August 17, 2010Judge Tauro issues his judgment in the Gill case, holding DOMA unconstitutional as applied to the plaintiffs. He also stays his judgment pending appeal upon a request for a stay from the defendants.
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Ninth Circuit Stays Prop 8 Ruling
August 16, 2010The Ninth Circuit issues its own stay on Judge Walker’s ruling, which supersedes his temporary stay.
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Judge Walker Issues Scheduling Order to Lift Stay on Prop 8
August 12, 2010Judge Walker orders his clerk to lift the stay on his ruling on the evening of August 18, 2010, paving the way for gay and lesbian couples in California to marry.
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Prop 8 Proponents File Appeal with Ninth Circuit
August 5, 2010The proponents of Prop 8 file an appeal of Judge Walker’s decision with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, as they had promised to do when the decision was handed down.
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District Court Judge Strikes Down Prop 8 as Unconstitutional
August 4, 2010In a wide-ranging, powerful decision, Judge Vaughn Walker declares Proposition 8 unconstitutional, arguing that it violates gay couples’ equal protection rights as well as their due process rights to a fundamental right to marry.
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DOMA Struck Down by District Court Judge in Gill and Massachusetts
July 8, 2010Judge Joseph Tauro hands down two rulings striking down DOMA as unconstitutional, one for Gill and one for Massachusetts.
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Prop 8 Trial Closing Arguments Held in San Francisco
June 16, 2010In San Francisco, Judge Vaughn Walker hears closing arguments in the Prop 8 trial.
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District Court Judge Hears Arguments in Massachusetts
May 26, 2010Oral arguments are heard in Boston by Judge Joseph Tauro in the Massachusetts case.
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District Court Judge Hears Arguments in Gill
May 6, 2010Oral arguments are heard in Boston by District Court Judge Joseph Tauro, a Nixon appointee, in the Gill case.
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Lambda Legal Files Discrimination Suit in District Court on Behalf of Karen Golinski
January 20, 2010Lambda Legal files a suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of Karen Golinski, arguing that the denial of benefits to Golinski represents unconstitutional discrimination based on her sexual orientation.
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Supreme Court Indefinitely Blocks Broadcast of Prop 8 Trial
January 13, 2010In a split 5-4 decision, a conservative majority of the Supreme Court votes to indefinitely stay Judge Walker’s decision to broadcast the Prop 8 trial to the public.
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Public Comments Overwhelmingly in Favor of Broadcasting Prop 8 Trial
January 12, 2010At a hearing in district court regarding the broadcast of the Prop 8 case, Walker announces that his request for public comments on the issue of televising the trial has received 138,574 responses in favor and only 32 opposed.
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Supreme Court Temporarily Stays Broadcast of Prop 8 Trial
January 11, 2010The Supreme Court temporarily stays Judge Walker’s decision to publicly broadcast the Prop 8 trial, postponing a long-term decision until after it hears arguments about the possible impacts such a broadcast could have on the trial.
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Prop 8 Trial Takes Place in District Court
January 11, 2010Over the course of two and a half weeks, Chief Judge Vaughn Walker presides over the Prop 8 trial in district court in San Francisco.
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Prop 8 Trial To Be Televised, Judge Rules
January 6, 2010Judge Vaughn Walker rules that the Prop 8 trial will be televised to the public, making it the first federal trial in California to be broadcast.
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OPM Ignores Kozinski’s Ruling Once Again
December 18, 2009As before, OPM announces it will disregard Judge Kozinski’s order regarding health insurance for Karen Golinski’s wife because of DOMA.
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Imperial County Files Motion to Intervene
December 15, 2009Imperial County, the county’s Board of Supervisors and Isabel Vargas, the county’s Deputy Clerk/Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages, file a motion asking the court to let them intervene in the case and defend Prop 8.
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Judge Kozinski Again Orders OPM to Cover Golinski’s Wife
November 19, 2009As he did in January 2009, Chief Judge Kozinski orders OPM to allow Cunningham to cover her wife under her health insurance plan, and grants her back pay compensation.
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GLAD Files for Summary Judgment in Gill
November 17, 2009GLAD files a motion with the district court requesting summary judgment in the Gill case—that is, a decision made on the merits of the case without going to a full trial.
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Judge Walker Rules on Motions to Intervene, Issues Scheduling Order in Prop 8 Case
August 19, 2009In an order, Judge Walker issues a ruling on the various motions to intervene in the Prop 8 case and issues a schedule for the trial to take place in early 2010.
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San Francisco Files Motion to Intervene in Prop 8 Case
July 23, 2009The City and County of San Francisco files a brief with the court requesting to intervene in the case as a plaintiff against Prop 8.
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LGBT Advocacy Groups File Motion to Intervene in Prop 8 Case
July 8, 2009Our Family Coalition, Lavender Seniors of the East Bay and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) file a motion with the court asking to intervene in the case against Proposition 8.
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Massachusetts Attorney General Files Complaint against DOMA in Mass v. HHS
July 8, 2009The Commonwealth of Massachusetts files a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts arguing that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally denies rights and protections to the 16,000 gay and lesbian couples who have married since the state introduced marriage equality in 2004.
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Judge Holds Pretrial Hearing in Prop 8 Case
July 2, 2009Judge Walker holds a pretrial hearing on the Prop 8 case in San Francisco.
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District Court Grants Prop 8 Proponents’ Motion to Intervene
June 30, 2009Judge Vaughn Walker rules that the Prop 8 proponents have demonstrated their right to intervene in defense of Prop 8 in court, and allows them to do so.
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Campaign for California Families Files Motion to Intervene in Prop 8 Case
June 26, 2009The Campaign for California Families files a motion with the court requesting to intervene in the defense of Prop 8.
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California Governor Declines to Defend Prop 8
June 16, 2009Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California, tells the court he will remain neutral in the case against Prop 8 and will not defend the law in court.
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California Attorney General Tells Court Prop 8 Is Unconstitutional
June 12, 2009Jerry Brown, California’s attorney general, files a brief with the district court arguing that Proposition 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and telling the court he will not defend the statute on these grounds.
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Prop 8’s Proponents File Motion to Intervene in Prop 8 Case
May 28, 2009ProtectMarriage.com — Yes on 8, the official ballot proponents of Proposition 8, ask the district court to allow them to intervene in the legal defense of the statute.
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Prop 8 Plaintiffs File for Preliminary Injunction
May 27, 2009AFER and the plaintiffs challenging Prop 8 file a motion with the district court for a preliminary injunction prohibiting the law’s enforcement. The plaintiffs argue that they are likely to succeed in their challenge claiming that Prop 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses since it discriminates against gays and lesbians […]
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Prop 8 Lawsuit Filed in District Court
May 22, 2009The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), a nonprofit organization set up specifically to challenge the constitutionality of Proposition 8, files a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of two couples, Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier, of Alameda, and Paul Katami and Jeffrey Zarrillo, of Burbank.
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GLAD Files Complaint Against DOMA in Gill v. OPM
March 3, 2009Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) files a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts arguing that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which holds that “the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife” is unconstitutional.
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OPM Ignores Kozinski’s Ruling, Denies Health Insurance to Golinski
February 20, 2009The Office of Personnel Management, the administration which oversees the management of the civil service, announces that it will ignore Kozinski’s ruling and instructs Blue Cross not to provide health insurance to Golinski’s wife.
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Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Orders Coverage for Golinski’s Wife
January 13, 2009Acting in his administrative capacity as the head of the Ninth Circuit, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski orders Golinski’s health insurance company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, to cover Amy Cunninghis on Golinski’s plan.
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Lambda Legal and Karen Golinski File Discrimination Complaint with Ninth Circuit
October 2, 2008After Golinski’s request for health insurance coverage for her wife is rejected, she and Lambda Legal file a complaint with the Ninth Circuit’s Employment Dispute Resolution Plan alleging that the denial of benefits was discriminatory and unlawful.
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Karen Golinski Attempts to Enroll Her Wife on Her Health Insurance Plan
September 2, 2008Karen Golinski, an employee of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, attempts to enroll her wife, Amy Cunninghis, in her employer-provided health insurance plan.