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Since the first marriage lawsuit for same-sex couples in 1972, the ACLU has been at the forefront of both legal and public education efforts to secure marriage for same-sex couples and win legal recognition for LGBT relationships.	> Domestic Partners Seek To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging Wisconsin's Domestic Partner Law > Legislation Introduced To Repeal Discriminatory Defense Of Marriage Act

Domestic Partners Seek To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging Wisconsin's Domestic Partner Law (09/22/2009)
MADISON, WI - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion before the Wisconsin Supreme Court today on behalf of five same-sex couples asking that the couples be allowed to participate in a lawsuit that will decide whether the state’s newly enacted domestic partner law violates Wisconsin’s anti-gay marriage amendment. Anti-gay activists have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to strike down the domestic partner law as inconsistent with the marriage amendment. The couples also ask the Court to reject the petition and send the case to a trial court so that evidence can be presented to show that the domestic partner law does not violate the anti-gay marriage amendment that passed in 2006.

Legislation Introduced To Repeal Discriminatory Defense Of Marriage Act (09/15/2009)
WASHINGTON - A bill was introduced in the House of Representatives today that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and respect state marriages by providing federal protections for married same-sex couples. DOMA, passed in 1996, authorized discrimination against lawfully married same-sex couples. Today's bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, was introduced by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and several others.

ACLU Statement on Latest Obama Administration Legal Brief on Defense of Marriage Act (08/17/2009)
The brief filed by the Justice Department in Smelt v. United States, today shows that the federal government heard and understood some of the concerns raised by the LGBT community in response to the brief it filed in June. (Smelt is a lawsuit brought in federal court in California by a married same-sex couple asking the federal government to give them equal treatment in federal programs).

LGBT Community Groups Seek to Intervene in Federal Challenge to Proposition 8 (07/09/2009)
SAN FRANCISCO - Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today asked the U.S. District Court in San Francisco to allow Our Family Coalition, Lavender Seniors of the East Bay, and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays to intervene in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a federal lawsuit challenging California's Proposition 8. In an order issued June 30 and confirmed at a hearing on July 1, Judge Vaughn R. Walker granted a motion to intervene by supporters of Proposition 8, and declined to rule on a request by plaintiffs for an immediate injunction staying the marriage ban. He called instead for a trial to resolve a number of critically important factual questions about LGBT people and constitutional rights, including questions about same-sex couples as parents, whether Proposition 8 was passed with discriminatory intent and whether allowing same-sex couples to marry undermines the stability of heterosexual marriages.

Fresno Hospital Bars Lesbian From Visiting Partner And Giving Advice About Her Treatment (06/15/2009)
SAN FRANCISCO – After a lesbian was barred from visiting her partner and giving advice about her treatment at a Fresno hospital, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sent a letter to the hospital today urging that it adopt policy changes respecting same-sex relationships.

Appling v. Doyle - Response to Appellants' Motion (09/22/2009)

Appling v. Doyle - Motion to Intervene (09/22/2009)

Appling v. Doyle - Petition (07/23/2009)
Petition filed by the Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of three members of the board of Wisconsin Family Action, challenging the legality of Wisconsin's domestic partnership registry.

Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Motion to Intervene (07/08/2009)

Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Amicus Brief (06/25/2009)
Amicus brief filed on behalf of the ACLU, our California affiliates, Lambda Legal and NCLR in Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

Coalition Letter to the House Urging Co-sponsorship of the Respect for Marriage Act (09/11/2009)

Coalition Letter in Support of H.R. 2517, the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (07/08/2009)
We, the undersigned organizations, write in support of the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, H.R. 2517. The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act would provide health care, retirement, and other benefits to all federal civilian employees with qualifying same-sex domestic partners on the same basis as spousal benefits. The Act also provides benefits for domestic partners’ children, even if they are not the biological or adopted children of the employee.

Letter to the U.S. Senate Urging Support of S. 1328, the Uniting American Families Act (06/11/2007)

Letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Urging Support of H.R. 2221, the Uniting American Families Act (06/11/2007)

Testimony By Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Office, Before the Democratic Party Platform Committee (06/19/2004)

Appling v. Doyle - Profiles of the Couples (09/22/2009)
Profiles of the couples seeking to become part of the lawsuit that will decide the fate of domestic partnerships in Wisconsin.

Getting Rid of Prop 8 (07/14/2009)

Make Change, Not Lawsuits - Joint Advisory (05/27/2009)
Joint statement from LGBT rights organizations explaining why additional lawsuits are not currently the best option for gaining marriage equality.

A Brief History of the California Marriage Cases (08/17/2007)

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - About the Plaintiffs (02/05/2007)

Why the ballot box and not the courts should be the next step on marriage in California (05/27/2009)
Joint statement from leading LGBT rights groups explaining why, now that Proposition 8 has been upheld, the next step for marriage equality is to go back to the voters in California, not back to the courts.

Frequently Asked Questions about Marriage in California: A Practical Guide for Same-Sex Couples (05/15/2008)

Deane & Polyak v. Conaway - Questions & Answers (09/18/2007)

Frequently Asked Questions about New Jersey Civil Unions: A Practical Guide for Same-Sex Couples (02/16/2007)

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - Questions & Answers (02/05/2007)

In re Marriage Cases - Case Profile (03/14/2005)

Appling v. Doyle - Case Profile (09/22/2009)

Fresno Hospital Discrimination - Case Profile (06/15/2009)

Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Case Profile (05/27/2009)
Federal legal challenge to Proposition 8, filed by prominent attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies on behalf of two California couples.

Strauss v. Horton - Case Profile (11/05/2008)
Challenge to CA Prop 8, which bans marriage for same-sex couples.

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - Case Profile (02/05/2007)