Tag Archives: Ted Olson

In the event that Judge Vaughn Walker’s overturn of Prop 8 is upheld by the Ninth Circuit, attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies are prepared to demand that Protect Marriage pay their fees. Via Advocate: In court filings this week, the attorneys requested extended time to consider fees and court costs but have also asked Prop. 8 supporters for an …

From Ted Olson and the American Foundation for Equal Rights: Today the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit set a highly expedited schedule for briefing and argument of proponents’ appeal from the district court’s August 4, 2010 decision striking down California’s Proposition 8 as an unconstitutional violation of the rights of gay and lesbian citizens to due …

For those following along, this is separate from the motion opposing a stay filed by Attorney General Jerry Brown on Friday. Protect Marriage has until 9am today (California time) to file their final response.Plaintiffs Opp to Motion to Stay

Ted Olson appeared on Fox New Sunday this morning to defend Judge Vaughn Walker against the tired old claims of “judicial activism.” Watch as Olson schools host Chris Wallace on the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s history on marriage cases. “Would you like Fox News’ right to free press put up to a vote?” ZING.

Tomorrow morning District Court Judge Vaughn Walker hears final arguments in Perry Vs. Schwarzenegger, the long-running trial to overturn Proposition 8. Last week Walker may have tipped his hand when he issued a list of 39 questions he wanted answered by both sides. “If the questions are any indication, the Walker opinion will be a blockbuster, at least in terms …

JMG reader Matt points us to this dissection of Elena Kagan’s Solicitor General confirmation hearing. In response to a question from Sen. John Cornyn (at page 28 of her Senate Judiciary Questionnaire), Kagan stated flat out that there was no constitutional right for same sex couples to marry (emphasis mine): 1. As Solicitor General, you would be charged with defending …

Last night Perry Vs. Schwarzenegger lead attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies spoke before about 150 journalists at the New York Times headquarters in Manhattan in an event called “Unlikely Allies.” In attendance among the print journalists were uber-blogger Andy Towle, activists Corey Johnson and Brendan Fay, former Clinton advisor David Mixner, and former GLAAD director Neil Giuliano. Olson and …

Director Rob Reiner, the mastermind behind Perry v. Schwarzenegger and the man who recruited Ted Olson to the case, appeared at the federal courthouse in San Francisco today to view a portion of the trial. Reiner is paying a significant portion of the pro-gay side’s costs. The below clip is by openly gay SF-based CBS reporter Hank Plante. Meathead will …

The Equal Rights Foundation has published Ted Olson’s opening statement from Perry v. Schwarnengger, which began this morning. It begins: This case is about marriage and equality. Plaintiffs are being denied both the right to marry, and the right to equality under the law.The Supreme Court of the United States has repeatedly described the right to marriage as “one of …

The New Yorker has published an excellent recap of how we got to Perry v. Schwarzenegger and its potential ramifications, whichever way the decision goes. An excerpt: If the Perry case succeeds before the Supreme Court, it could mean that gay marriage would be permitted not only in California but in every state. And, if the Court recognized homosexuals as …

Prop 8 lawyer Ted Olson has written a great essay for Newsweek titled The Conservative Case For Marriage. Read the entire thing. Olson’s conclusion: California’s Proposition 8 is particularly vulnerable to constitutional challenge, because that state has now enacted a crazy-quilt of marriage regulation that makes no sense to anyone. California recognizes marriage between men and women, including persons on …

Five federal courthouses will host live telecasts of the Olson/Boies Proposition 8 trial, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which begins tomorrow in San Francisco. More locations may be added to the list below. The trial is expected to last two weeks. I will be posting video excerpts from the trial as they are posted to YouTube at the end of each day. …

NOM’s Brian Brown has sent out a fundraising letter admitting that he doesn’t expect their side to win the Olson/Boies Prop 8 trial, which is due to start on Monday. Brown: “We do not expect to win at the trial level, but with God’s help, at least five members of the current Supreme Court will have the courage to defend …

One of the five defendants in the Olson/Boies case claims he’s too scared of retribution from gay activists to continue. A vocal gay marriage opponent who volunteered to become a defendant in the case challenging California’s same-sex nuptial ban is now asking to be removed from the case. Hak-Shing William Tam was one of the five official sponsors of Proposition …

Equality California is calling on the Obama administration to pressure the Ninth District Court to overturn Proposition 8 in next week’s Olson/Boies trial. The time has come for elected leaders to empower all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Once again, we call on the Obama administration to join Equality California and others in urging the federal courts …

Sergio at Lexicon Magazine sends in this clip of Ted Olson & David Boies explaining Judge Walker’s ruling on televising the Prop 8 trial, due to begin January 11th.

Ninth District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has just nixed a request from two television groups to live-stream the proceedings during next week’s Proposition 8 trial. But it appears that we may get to see YouTube’d clips on the following day. Via Karen Ocamb at LGBT POV: Despite thousands of people responding to a request for comments on allowing a live …