
Buck v. Gordon
What's at Stake
A state-contracted, taxpayer-funded child placing agency sued the State of Michigan claiming a constitutional right to discriminate against prospective foster and adoptive families headed by same-sex couples in violation of State contracts. The ACLU, representing prospective adoptive parents Kristy and Dana Dumont, is seeking to intervene in this lawsuit in support of the State.
Summary
Kristy and Dana Dumont, who seek to adopt a child out of foster care, were turned away from two taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies in 2016 and 2017 because those agencies had a religious objection to accepting same-sex couples. The Dumonts sued the State of Michigan for allowing agencies to use religious criteria to exclude families who could provide loving homes for children. In March of 2019, the State of Michigan settled the lawsuit and announced that it will require all agencies with state contracts to comply with non-discrimination requirements and accept all qualified families.
In response, St. Vincent Catholic Charities– one of the agencies that turned away the Dumonts– sued the State, claiming the Constitution entitles it to a taxpayer-funded contract to perform public child welfare services and to opt out of the contract’s non-discrimination requirement. Because the case is a direct attack on the settlement agreement in the Dumonts’ case, on May 21, 2019, the ACLU filed a motion to intervene on the couple’s behalf.
Legal Documents
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05/11/2020
Reversal of Denial of Motion to Intervene -
12/12/2019
Reply Brief of Amici Curiae-Appellants -
11/19/2019
Order Denying State's Motion to Stay -
10/29/2019
State Defendants-Appellants' Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal -
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11/06/2019
Plaintiff-Appellees' Response -
11/05/2019
Brief of Dumont's Support of State Defendants-Appellants' Motion for Stay Pending Appeal
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff-Appellees' ResponseDownload DocumentDate Filed: 11/06/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsBrief of Dumont's Support of State Defendants-Appellants' Motion for Stay Pending AppealDownload DocumentDate Filed: 11/05/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
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11/06/2019
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10/28/2019
Motion to Intervene as Intervenor Defendants-Appellants -
10/16/2019
Brief of Proposed Intervenor Defendants-Appellants on Denial of Intervention -
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11/21/2019
Response Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellees
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsResponse Brief of Plaintiffs-AppelleesDownload DocumentDate Filed: 11/21/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
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11/21/2019
Date Filed: 05/11/2020
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Date Filed: 12/12/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Date Filed: 11/19/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Date Filed: 10/29/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Date Filed: 10/28/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Date Filed: 10/16/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
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11/17/2022
Dismissal Order -
01/26/2022
Stipulated Order and Judgment Resolving All Claims Against Defendant -
03/19/2020
Plaintiff's Motion to Stay -
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03/19/2020
Plaintiff's Brief in Support of Motion to Stay -
04/02/2020
Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion to Stay -
05/05/2020
Order Granting Motion to Stay
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Brief in Support of Motion to StayDownload DocumentDate Filed: 03/19/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsDefendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion to StayDownload DocumentDate Filed: 04/02/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Granting Motion to StayDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/05/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
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03/19/2020
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06/19/2019
Brief in Support of Federal Defendants' Motion to Dismiss -
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08/20/2019
Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss -
08/10/2019
State Defendants' Response to Motion to Dismiss -
08/09/2019
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsReply in Support of Motion to DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/20/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Response to Motion to DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/10/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/09/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
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08/20/2019
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05/29/2019
State Defendants' Motion to Transfer or Dismiss -
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09/26/2019
Order Regarding Motion to Transfer and Motion to Dismiss -
05/21/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer -
05/31/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer or Dismiss -
06/24/2019
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Transfer or Dismiss
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Regarding Motion to Transfer and Motion to DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 09/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to TransferDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/21/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer or DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Transfer or DismissDownload DocumentDate Filed: 06/24/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
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09/26/2019
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05/21/2019
Brief in Support of Motion to Intervene -
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08/26/2019
Notice of Appeal to 6th Circuit -
08/12/2019
Order Denying Motion for Reconsideration -
08/09/2019
Motion for Reconsideration -
07/31/2019
Order Denying Motion to Intervene and Motion to Transfer -
06/04/2019
Plaintiff's Response to Motion to Intervene
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsNotice of Appeal to 6th CircuitDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Denying Motion for ReconsiderationDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/12/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsMotion for ReconsiderationDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/09/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Denying Motion to Intervene and Motion to TransferDownload DocumentDate Filed: 07/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Response to Motion to InterveneDownload DocumentDate Filed: 06/04/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
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08/26/2019
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04/16/2019
Plaintiff's Brief in Support of Preliminary Injunction -
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10/10/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Stay Pending Appeal -
10/07/2019
State Defendants' Notice of Appeal to 6th Circuit -
09/26/2019
Opinion on Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
06/12/2019
Plaintiff's Reply in Support of Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
Federal Defendants Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
08/26/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief Amici Curiae in Opposition for Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Stay Pending AppealDownload DocumentDate Filed: 10/10/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Notice of Appeal to 6th CircuitDownload DocumentDate Filed: 10/07/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOpinion on Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 09/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Reply in Support of Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 06/12/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsFederal Defendants Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief Amici Curiae in Opposition for Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 08/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDownload DocumentDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
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10/10/2019
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04/15/2019
Complaint
Date Filed: 11/17/2022
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 01/26/2022
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 03/19/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 06/19/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 05/29/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 05/21/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 04/16/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Date Filed: 04/15/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Press Releases
ACLU, Same-Sex Couple Seek to Join Lawsuit to Keep a License to Discriminate Out of Michigan’s Child Welfare System