Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, one of the plaintiff couples in the lawsuit

The California Marriage Case, brought on behalf of twelve same-sex couples as well as Equality California and Our Families Coalition, charges that barring same-sex couples from marriage violates the state constitution's guarantee of equality. The City and County of San Francisco filed a similar case that has been consolidated with Woo, which was brought by the ACLU, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Lambda Legal. The 12 couples involved in this lawsuit have made life-long commitments to each other. The couples come from throughout the state and from all walks of life, ranging from a small business owner to a writer to a chiropractor. Many of these couples are raising children together.

Status: On March 4, 2008, the California Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in In re Marriage Cases. Click here to watch the arguments online at noon ET/9:00 a.m. Pacific.

Resources
> About the Plaintiffs
> Amicus Briefs Filed by Organizations and Individuals in Support of Marriage Equality

Additional Information
> ACLU of Northern California
> Lambda Legal
> National Center for Lesbian Rights

Legal Documents
> In re Marriage Cases - Respondents' Consolidated Reply Brief on the Merits (8/17/2007)
> In re Marriage Cases - Respondents' Supplemental Brief (8/17/2007)
> In re Marriage Cases - Respondents’ Opening Brief on the Merits (4/2/2007)
> In re Marriage Cases - Decision in California First Appellate Court, Divison Three (10/5/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of the California NAACP (1/12/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of Religious Organizations and Religiously Affiliated Individuals (1/9/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of Additional California and National LGBT Organizations (1/9/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of Asian Pacific Islander Groups (1/9/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of California, Massachusetts and National LGBT Organizations (1/9/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of Civil Rights Organizations (1/9/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of International Human Rights Organizations and Law Professors (1/6/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Friend-of-the-Court Brief Filed on Behalf of Women's Rights Organizations (1/6/2006)
> In re Marriage Cases - Respondents' Answering Brief in California First Appellate Court, Division Three (11/10/2005)
> In re Marriage Cases - Superior Court Decision (3/14/2005)
> In re Marriage Cases - Complaint (3/12/2004)

Press
> Same-sex Couples Ask California Supreme Court to Strike Down Marriage Ban (3/4/2008)
> Marriage Lawsuit Advances to California Supreme Court (8/17/2007)
> Same-Sex Couples Urge California Supreme Court to Strike Down Marriage Ban (4/2/2007)
> California Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeal in Lawsuits Seeking Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (12/20/2006)
> Same-Sex Couples Appeal to California Supreme Court in Marriage Case (11/13/2006)
> Divided California Court of Appeal Rejects Challenge to Discriminatory Marriage Law (10/5/2006)
> ACLU Urges California Court to Strike Down Law Banning Same-Sex Couples from Marriage (7/10/2006)
> Religious and Civil Rights Groups Support Same-Sex Couples in Legal Battle to Marry (1/10/2006)
> ACLU, NCLR, and Lambda Legal Urge California Appeals Court to Affirm Decision Ending Unfairness Against Same-Sex Couples in Marriage (11/9/2005)
> ACLU Applauds California Judge's Decision Ending Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples in Marriage (3/14/2005)
> ACLU Urges California Trial Court to End Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples in Marriage (12/22/2004)
> California Supreme Court Invalidates Marriages from San Francisco, Without Resolving Whether Same-Sex Couples Have the Right to Marry (8/12/2004)
> Couples Challenge Marriage Discrimination in California (3/12/2004)
> ACLU and Gay Rights Groups Praise Court's Decision to Permit San Francisco to Continue Granting Marriage Licenses To Same-Sex Couples (2/18/2004)
> Lesbian and Gay Couples in San Francisco Are Granted Marriage Licenses (2/12/2004)

Additional Resources
> In re Marriage Cases - Amicus Briefs Filed by Organizations and Individuals in Support of Marriage Equality (1/10/2006)