Tag Archives: Shannon Minter

President Obama today named National Center for Lesbian Rights legal director Shannon Minter to the President’s Commission On White House Fellowships.  The White House’s press release recounts Minter’s many accomplishments: He has served at NCLR since 1993, first as a National Association of Public Interest Law Fellow and then Senior Staff Attorney. Mr. Minter has lectured and served as an …

The National Center for Lesbian Rights today filed a motion which opposes Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s petition that SCOTUS hear an appeal of his state’s same-sex marriage ruling. Equality Case Files has the motion: The Court has already granted four petitions for writs of certiorari to decide the questions presented in this case. There is no cause to add yet …

The National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality Florida today issued a joint letter in which they urge Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to instruct state agencies regarding the rights of married same-sex couples. Dear Attorney General Bondi: As counsel for the Plaintiffs in Pareto v. Ruvin, we write to request that your office immediately advise all state agencies in …

“This is a pivotal moment not just for Miami but for the entire country. Florida is a bellwether state, and I can think of no more encouraging sign as the US Supreme Court prepares to decide whether to resolve this issue for the entire country at its next conference on January 9, and as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals …

“Any Florida clerk who refuses to follow the Constitution’s command and who withholds marriage licenses from couples once the stay expires is on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of the law.  A discredited memo from a law firm won’t provide much protection against the risk of being sued for unconstitutional actions and being held liable for …

Liberty Counsel head Mat Staver is speaking at this writing. I must be getting my Florida cases mixed up because I could have sworn that Liberty Counsel was denied the right to be a party to this case. Watch the live stream. UPDATE: Equality Florida has tweeted that Staver was merely allowed to orally present his amicus brief, which seems …

That’s National Center for Lesbian Rights attorney Shannon Minter seated in the red tie. They’re about to enter the courtroom as Florida’s first marriage equality case opens in Miami. Equality Florida will be live-tweeting the proceedings.

Via Equality Florida: Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist has filed an amicus brief today in support of the marriage equality lawsuit Pareto v. Ruvin, which is set for a hearing on July 2 before Judge Sarah Zabel in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Miami. Judge Zabel will hear from attorneys who filed a lawsuit in January on behalf of …

Via Equality On Trial: Noted LGBT legal organization National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) will be joining as co-counsel for the plaintiffs in Kitchen v. Herbert, the challenge to Utah’s same-sex marriage ban. A text entry in the docket for the Tenth Circuit appeal reported the appearance of NCLR attorneys Shannon Minter and Kate Kendell: “Notice of appearance filed by …

“We are disappointed by the ruling but very pleased that the temporary delay in implementing this important law applies only to the three plaintiffs who brought this lawsuit. The judge stressed that he was willing to issue the ruling in part because it is temporary and applies only to three individuals. We are confident that as the case progresses, it …

“Given the reasoning of the Ninth Circuit’s decision and its focus on the specific circumstances that led to the enactment of Prop 8 in California, it may be a tall order for the supporters of Prop 8 to persuade the Supreme Court to take the case. The Supreme Court normally only accepts cases when different federal appellate courts have reached …

“I was concerned by the tenor of many of the justices’ questions today. The court has a responsibility to enforce the California Constitution, which gives elected state officials–not private initiative sponsors–the authority to decide whether to appeal a federal court decision invalidating a state law. Both conservative and progressive elected officials have occasionally exercised that discretion in the past by …

Pictured above are the journalists, activists, researchers, allies and bloggers that attended this weekend’s Haas Fund-sponsored conference on LGBT youth homelessness, suicide prevention, and immigration equality. All very good people. UPDATE: Via the Windy City Times, here’s everybody’s names (from left to right). Michael Rogers, Eden James, Phil Reese, Andrés Duque, Karen Ocamb, Jeremy Hooper, Jean Albright, Tracy Baim, Ksen …

“Judge Phillips has not yet entered the judgment. She asked the plaintiffs to submit a proposed order including a permanent injunction by September 16. When she enters the judgment, she can either permit it to take effect immediately, stay it while the decision is on appeal, or temporarily stay it to give the Ninth Circuit an opportunity to rule on …

Last night Marriage Equality New York staged their 12th annual fundraising gala in NYC, honoring LGBT advocates NY Sen. Jose Peralta, actor B.D. Wong, attorney Shannon Minter, and activist group Queer Rising. The evening was hosted by the ever-effervescent Marti Gould Cummings. I was unable to attend, but JMG staff photographer Dr. Jeff did his usual stellar work on the …

The 12th annual Marriage Equality New York gala fundraiser takes place on April 28th in Manhattan. Get tickets here. The MENY Gala will be recognizing and honoring: Queer Rising, NYS Senator Peralta, Sharron Minter, and BD Wong for their work in moving marriage equality forward in New York State and, in some cases, on the national front. This recognition comes …

“Today, the Iowa Supreme Court recognized that the constitutional guarantee of equal protection requires that same-sex couples have ‘full access to the institution of civil marriage.’ The ruling makes clear that civil unions or domestic partnerships cannot meet the demands of full constitutional equality. “We hope the California Supreme Court will uphold the essential principle of equality regardless of political …

The California Supreme Court announced today that they will hear arguments over the state’s ban on gay marriage on March 4th in San Francisco. The three-hour hearing will consider a 2004 lawsuit filed on behalf of Equality California, the Our Family Coalition, and 15 same-sex couples denied marriage under the ballot measure approved by voters in 2000. Oral arguments will …

“It is one thing to pass laws that don’t cover groups that haven’t really organized or come into public consciousness yet — of course that is going to happen. But it is something else to deliberately cut out another, more politically vulnerable group that is asking to be included and just as much in need of protection just to get …