Family Law, Constitutional Law, Election & Politics Law

Illinois Inches Closer to Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

by Michele Bowman | Lawyers.com on 4/5/2013

While a bill legalizing gay marriage awaits enough support in the Illinois House of Representatives, the Cook County clerk is not defending against a lawsuit brought against the county by gay couples who say its refusal to...more

Results of State Voter Referendums on Same-Sex Marriage: Implications for Employee Benefit Plans

by McDermott Will & Emery on 11/12/2012

Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington approved the legalization of same-sex marriage in their states. In addition, voters in Minnesota rejected a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as an opposite-sex union....more

Upcoming State Voter Referendums on Same-Sex Marriage

by McDermott Will & Emery on 10/26/2012

Voter referendums on same-sex marriage will be on the November ballots in four states: Maryland, Washington, Maine and Minnesota. The outcome of these referendums may complicate the options and obligations of employers in...more

How The White House’s Endorsement of Same-Sex Marriage Affects Employment Law

by Dinsmore & Shohl LLP on 6/8/2012

On May 9, 2012, President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to affirm his belief that same-sex couples should be able to get married. Weeks later, the First Circuit Court of Appeals declared a portion of...more

Appeals Court Rules Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional

by Lawyers.com on 6/1/2012

Institutionalized discrimination by Uncle Sam against the LGBT community is no more, says a federal court in Boston. The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1996 law that...more

What You Need to Know About LGBT Marriage

by Lawyers.com on 5/22/2012

When President Obama announced his support for gay marriage earlier this month, he was echoing a sentiment that more and more Americans have come to believe – that LGBT citizens have the same right to formalize their love in...more

Editor's Choice: Top Four Legal News Stories of the Day - October 5, 2011

by Lawyers.com on 10/6/2011

Here are some news items we thought would interest you. • Two killed in a workplace shooting in California. According to media reports, an employee at a cement plant in Cupertino showed up at work this morning armed with...more

Minnesota Government Update - April 29, 2011

by Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. on 5/2/2011

In the midst of nearly around the clock work on policy and budget bills, the Legislature nonetheless took up two highly controversial bills this past week. Here’s an overview of the week that was and the forecast for next...more

The Obama Administration's New Position on Same-Sex Marriages

by Reed Smith on 3/7/2011

Under current federal law, individuals recognized as same-sex spouses under state law are not considered married for purposes of federal law. This has ramifications in a number of areas, such as federal income taxation and...more

Chief Justice Ronald M. George: The Most Notable Opinions

by Sedgwick LLP on 12/30/2010

For the final day of our profile of retiring California Chief Justice Ronald M. George, we offer our own subjective list of the Chief Justice’s most notable opinions. If anyone has a nomination for a favorite case that...more

New Challenge to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act

by FordHarrison on 10/5/2009

On September 15, 2009, a bill (H.R. 3567, entitled the "Respect for Marriage Act of 2009") was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and to "ensure respect for...more