Tag Archives: AFER

“It does seem to suggest, if I was a federal judge, I would read today’s decision as saying that the opponents, if they still exist, on the Supreme Court of marriage equality have decided they don’t want to get into this and they sort of feel that the federal judges — one after the other, after the other, after the …

Norfolk County Clerk George Schaefer, who was backed by the virulently anti-gay Alliance Defending Freedom all the way to the Supreme Court, today had to suck it and sign the marriage license of AFER plaintiffs Timothy Bostic and Tony London. More photos and coverage are at the Twitter feed of Virginian-Pilot reporter Patrick Wilson.

Clip recap: “The Supreme Court hasn’t made a move on marriage yet. We’ll take a look at what they might be waiting for. US Attorney General Eric Holder reveals the Department of Justice’s plans to support marriage equality. We have hearings coming up in Alaska, Louisiana, and Texas. And the National Organization for Marriage makes another desperate move in Oregon.”

The New York Times reports on the “dueling” going on to be the legal team to argue for same-sex marriage before the Supreme Court. In a half-dozen briefs filed in recent weeks, some of the best lawyers in the nation spent many pages arguing that their case was the right one in which to establish a nationwide right to same-sex …

Clip recap: A surprising reveal this week from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg about the court’s plans for taking up a marriage case — or maybe not taking up any. An Arkansas clerk breaks ranks with top state officials, declaring for the first time that the state’s marriage ban is unconstitutional. Plus: numerous states freeze their marriage lawsuits while …

Clip recap: “The number of marriage cases before the Supreme Court keeps climbing, with the Court scheduled to decide which ones to take in just a few weeks. Plus, couples file new briefs in Texas, and appeal last week’s anti-gay ruling from a federal judge in Louisiana.”

Via the Wall Street Journal: Mark your calendars: the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider its next steps on gay marriage when the justices meet for the first time since their summer break. The court on Wednesday listed gay marriage petitions from five states – Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin – for consideration at its Sept. 29 private conference. …

Clip recap: A massive victory for equality in Wisconsin and Indiana, with one of the most strongly-worded decisions yet. A judge in Louisiana has ruled against marriage equality, but there are some problems with his ruling. There are major oral arguments this week in multiple states, and more cases move closer to consideration by the US Supreme Court.

Thirty major corporations have filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to hear AFER’s challenge of Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. On the list: Amazon, CBS, Deutsche Bank, eBay, Intel, General Electric, Levi Strauss, Nike, Oracle, Pfizer, Staples, Target, and Viacom. In general, the brief argues that the nation’s uneven patchwork of marriage laws places an undue burden on corporations. …

Clip recap: Anti-gay attorneys took a beating before the Seventh Circuit last week, trying and failing to defend marriage bans before a panel of hostile judges. Now all eyes are on the Supreme Court to see which cases they’ll take up in their fall session. There’s another major marriage argument coming up in a few days. And the National Organization …

Acting on behalf of Prince William County Clerk Michele McQuigg, today the Alliance Defending Freedom petitioned SCOTUS to hear their appeal of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that struck down Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage. Today’s petitions follow those from AFER and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. The full request is here. (Via Equality Case Files)

The American Foundation for Equal Rights today filed a SCOTUS brief which demands that the Court hear their Virginia marriage equality suit. “Forty-seven years ago, Mildred and Richard Loving passionately argued that the Supreme Court must end the unjust laws that dare to tell us who we can and cannot love,” said Plaintiffs’ lead co-counsel Ted Olson of Gibson, Dunn …

Equality Virginia It is disappointing that the Supreme Court stayed the 4th Circuit Court’s decision.  Lesbian and gay Virginians have waited long enough for the freedom to marry. Loving couples – and families – should not have to endure yet another standstill before their commitment to one another is recognized here in Virginia. Every day that this ruling is stayed, …

Via the Washington Post: Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) told the Supreme Court on Monday that it should put on hold a lower court’s order that same-sex couples in the state be allowed to marry, beginning this week. Herring said that he agrees with the panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit that struck Virginia’s …

Via press release: Today, lawyers representing the plaintiffs in the Bostic case responded to a petition by defendants seeking a stay of the United States Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit’s decision that found Virginia’s marriage ban unconstitutional by urging the Supreme Court not to delay the issuance of marriage licenses for same-sex couples in Virginia. The American Foundation for …

Clip recap: Major news in Virginia this week, where the Fourth Circuit has refused to delay marriage equality for any longer. Now anti-gay defendants have asked the US Supreme Court to step in at the last minute. A judge in Tennessee has upheld that state’s marriage ban, on the basis of outdated arguments regarding procreation. And over a dozen couples …

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who has jurisdiction over the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, today set a deadline of Monday 5PM for attorneys for the Virginia plaintiffs to respond to yesterday’s stay demand by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Should Roberts reject the stay demand, same-sex marriages would commence on Thursday at 8AM. (Tipped by JMG reader ArchiLaw)

Via the ACLU of Virginia: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today denied a request to delay implementation of its ruling striking down Virginia laws denying marriage to same-sex couples. The court’s action means that, unless the Supreme Court intervenes, couples may begin marrying and having their out-of-state marriages recognized in Virginia on August 18. Prince William …