Marriage Equality #8
part 8
June 6, 2012: In New York, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Jones finds the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in Windsor v. United States, a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and Roberta Kaplan at the firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Judge Jones is the fifth federal judge to rule that DOMA's Section 3 violates the U.S. Constitution.
July 31, 2012: In Connecticut, U.S. District Court Judge Vanessa Bryant finds the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in Pedersen v. Office of Personnel Management, a case brought by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.
September 4, 2012: The Democratic Party becomes the first major U.S. political party in history to officially endorse the freedom to marry in their national party platform when the platform is ratified at the Democratic National Convention. The plank supporting the freedom to marry was the focus of Freedom to Marry's Democrats: Say I Do campaign calling for the plank.
November 6, 2012: On Election Day 2012, the freedom to marry triumphs at the ballot in all four states where it is up for a vote: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington. In Maine, Maryland, and Washington, voters choose to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. In Minnesota, voters reject a hideous anti-gay constitutional amendment that would have permanently limited the freedom to marry in the state. President Barack Obama wins reelection, becoming the first president ever to run on a national party platform that fully and explicitly supports marriage for same-sex couples. And in a number of other races, pro-marriage legislatures were secured and pro-marriage judicial voices were retained. The freedom to marry takes effect in Washington on December 3, in Maine on December 29, and in Maryland on January 1, 2013.
December 7, 2012: The U.S. Supreme Court announces that it will hear two marriage cases at the federal level - Windsor v. United States, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union to take on DOMA, and Hollingsworth v. Perry, brought by the American Foundation for Equal Rights against California's Proposition 8.
March 18, 2013: A new national poll demonstrates record support for the freedom to marry, with 58% of Americans saying they support marriag efor same-sex couples.
March 26-27, 2013: The United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments in two landmark marriage cases: Hollingsworth v. Perry, the challenge to California's Proposition 8, and Windsor v. United States, a challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.
April 4, 2013: For the first time ever, a majority of United States Senators publicly support the freedom to marry. The landmark 51st announcement (from FL Senator Bill Nelson) ended a two-week period where over a dozen U.S. Senators - including two Republicans - announced that they support ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
June 6, 2012: In New York, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Jones finds the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in Windsor v. United States, a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and Roberta Kaplan at the firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Judge Jones is the fifth federal judge to rule that DOMA's Section 3 violates the U.S. Constitution.
July 31, 2012: In Connecticut, U.S. District Court Judge Vanessa Bryant finds the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in Pedersen v. Office of Personnel Management, a case brought by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.
September 4, 2012: The Democratic Party becomes the first major U.S. political party in history to officially endorse the freedom to marry in their national party platform when the platform is ratified at the Democratic National Convention. The plank supporting the freedom to marry was the focus of Freedom to Marry's Democrats: Say I Do campaign calling for the plank.
November 6, 2012: On Election Day 2012, the freedom to marry triumphs at the ballot in all four states where it is up for a vote: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington. In Maine, Maryland, and Washington, voters choose to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. In Minnesota, voters reject a hideous anti-gay constitutional amendment that would have permanently limited the freedom to marry in the state. President Barack Obama wins reelection, becoming the first president ever to run on a national party platform that fully and explicitly supports marriage for same-sex couples. And in a number of other races, pro-marriage legislatures were secured and pro-marriage judicial voices were retained. The freedom to marry takes effect in Washington on December 3, in Maine on December 29, and in Maryland on January 1, 2013.
December 7, 2012: The U.S. Supreme Court announces that it will hear two marriage cases at the federal level - Windsor v. United States, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union to take on DOMA, and Hollingsworth v. Perry, brought by the American Foundation for Equal Rights against California's Proposition 8.
March 18, 2013: A new national poll demonstrates record support for the freedom to marry, with 58% of Americans saying they support marriag efor same-sex couples.
March 26-27, 2013: The United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments in two landmark marriage cases: Hollingsworth v. Perry, the challenge to California's Proposition 8, and Windsor v. United States, a challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.
April 4, 2013: For the first time ever, a majority of United States Senators publicly support the freedom to marry. The landmark 51st announcement (from FL Senator Bill Nelson) ended a two-week period where over a dozen U.S. Senators - including two Republicans - announced that they support ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
