Out for Freedom: Promoting Non-Discrimination

Pride parade


1.Illinois

Lazaro and Matos v. Orr

On behalf of nine Illinois couples seeking recognition for their shared love and commitment, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Illinois have filed a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of Illinois' law that denies gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry. Currently, Illinois law excludes gay and lesbian couples from the recognition and protections that come with the universally recognized relationship status of marriage, and limits them instead to a separate civil union status.

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2.Utah

Evans v. Utah

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Utah, and Strindberg & Scholnick, LLC; have filed a lawsuit in Utah state court on behalf of four same-sex couples who were legally married in Utah after a federal court struck down a state ban, but before the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted marriages from taking place while the state challenged the decision. Although the marriages were valid, the state has announced that it has placed recognition of their marriages on hold indefinitely.

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3.Wisconsin

Bloechl-Karlsen v. Walker

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Wisconsin, and the law firm of Mayer Brown have filed suit on behalf of four same-sex couples who were legally married in Wisconsin after a federal court struck down a state ban on marriage for same-sex couples, but before the judge temporarilyhalted marriages from taking place while the state challenged the decision. Although the marriageswere valid, the state has announced that it has placed recognition of their marriages on hold indefinitely.

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4.New Mexico

Griego v. Oliver

Six same-sex couples, represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of New Mexico, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Albuquerque law firm Sutin, Thayer & Browne, APC, filed a lawsuit against the State of New Mexico and the Santa Fe and Bernalillo County Clerks seeking the freedom to marry. The lawsuit argues that the New Mexico marriage statutes and the New Mexico Constitution do not bar same-sex couples from marrying, and that the New Mexico Constitution requires the state to allow same-sex couples the freedom to marry.

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5.Missouri

Barrier and Schild v. Vasterling

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU ofMissouri have filed a lawsuit in state court on behalf of six same-sex couples who are seekingrecognition for their legal out-of-state marriages.The lawsuit does not seek a repeal of Missouri's ban on marriage for same-sex couples within the state.

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6.Indiana

Bogan v. Baskin (Midori Fujii v. Commissioner)

The American Civil Liberties Union, The ACLU of Indiana, along with attorney Sean Lemieux of the Lemieux Law Office in Indianapolis, have filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of 13 plaintiffs seeking the freedom marry in Indiana.

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7.Michigan

Caspar v. Snyder

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Michigan filed a lawsuit today to guarantee that the marriages of 300 same-sex couples performed in Michigan in March 2014 are recognized by the state. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of eight same-sex couples who were married after a federal judge struck down the state's ban and before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals put the decision on hold.

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8.Pennsylvania

Whitewood v. Wolf

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania,the American Civil Liberties Union, and volunteer counsel from the law firm of Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller have filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of 21 Pennsylvanians who wish to marry in Pennsylvania or want the Commonwealth to recognize their out-of-state marriages. The lawsuit alleges that Pennsylvania's Defense of Marriage Act and refusal to marry lesbian and gay couples or recognize their out-of-state marriages violates the fundamental right to marry as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

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9.Nebraska

Waters v. Heineman

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Nebraska and the law firm of Koenig | Dunne have filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of seven couples who seek state recognition of their marriages or who seek the freedom to marry in Nebraska.

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10.Florida

Grimsley and Albu v. Scott, et al.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Florida, and the Podhurst Orseck law firm have filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of eight same-sex couples and SAVE, an LGBT rights organization based in Miami, challenging the state of Florida’s refusal to recognize their marriages, which were performed in other states and recognized by the federal government.

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11.Kansas

Marie v. Moser

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU ofKansas have filed a lawsuit against district courtclerks in Douglas and Sedgwick counties for their refusal to issue marriage applications to two same-sex couples, despite the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals lifting its stay on marriage for same-sex couples.

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12.Missouri

Lawson v. Jackson County Department of Recorder of Deeds

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Missouri filed a petition in Jackson County, MO on behalf of two couples, Angela Curtis and Shannon McGinty, and Kyle Lawson and Evan Dahlgren, who wished to marry, but were denied marriage licenses because of Missouri's amendment limiting marriage to opposite sex couples. Both couples tried to get marriage licenses in Jackson County.

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13.Virginia

Bostic v. Schaefer (Harris Class Action)

In Bostic v. Schaefer, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Virginia, Lambda Legal, and Jenner & Block, LLP, represent a class of all unmarried same-sex couples in Virginia and all same-sex couples in Virginia who have already married in a different jurisdiction (the "Harris Class"). The class action was originally filed as separate litigation in the Western District of Virginia filed on behalf of Joanne Harris and Jessica Duff and Christy Berghoff and Victoria Kidd as class representatives for all same-sex couples in Virginia who wish to marry here or who have married in other jurisdictions. After a court in the Eastern District of Virginia struck down Virginia's marriage bans in Bostic, the Harris Class intervened as a party at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to have its constitutional challenges decided as part of the Bostic litigation.

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14.Montana

Rolando v. Fox

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU ofMontana represent four loving, committed same-sex couples as they sue Montana in federal court for the right to get married or to have their marriages from other states legally recognized in Montana.

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15.North Carolina

Fisher-Borne v. Smith

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation have filed a lawsuit on behalf of six same-sex couples seeking the freedom to marry, and the right to obtain second parent adoptions for their children.

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16.Wisconsin

Walker v. Wolf

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Wisconsin and the law firm of Mayer Brown filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of eight same-sex couples who wish to marry in Wisconsin or are seeking recognition for their legal out-of-state marriages.

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17.Alabama

Aaron-Brush v. Bentley

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Alabama have filed a federal lawsuit challenging Alabama's ban on marriage for same-sex couples. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of April and Ginger Aaron-Brush of Birmingham. The couple was wed in Massachusetts, but their marriage is not recognized in their home state.

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18.Oregon

Rummell and West v. Kitzhaber

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Oregon, and volunteer counsel from the law firms of Johnson, Johnson & Schaller, PC and Perkins Coie, LLP in December 2013 filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Eugene on behalf of two same-sex couples who wished to marry in Oregon – Paul Rummell and Ben West, and Lisa Chickadonz and Christine Tanner – and Basic Rights Education Fund.

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