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Ask Lambda Legal – Marriage Equality

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July 10, 2015

Following the Supreme Court’s recent historic decision to grant same-sex couples throughout the United States the freedom to marry and the right to recognition of their marriages in Obergefell v. Hodges, many questions have surfaced about just how the ruling will affect same-sex couples and families. In an attempt to answer many of these questions, legal teams at Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Freedom to Marry, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) teamed up to develop a joint FAQ.

See Also: Ask Lambda Legal, Marriage, Marriage Relationships and Family Protections, Same-sex relationships
Supreme Court Schedules Marriage Case Arguments for April 28

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March 5, 2015

The U.S. Supreme Court today announced it has scheduled argument for the marriage cases on Tuesday, April 28, at 10:00am.

See Also: Marriage, Same-sex relationships
6 Things You Need to Know About the Brief Lambda Legal Filed at the Supreme Court Today

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February 27, 2015

Today, Lambda Legal, the ACLU and Ohio-based Gerhardstein & Branch filed their brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Henry v. Hodges and Obergefell v. Hodges arguing that Ohio’s ban on recognizing the legal marriages of same-sex couples violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the U.S. Constitution. Here's what you need to know.

See Also: Marriage, Same-sex relationships
Why Lambda Legal is Suing the Social Security Administration

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November 7, 2014

In the past few weeks, Lambda Legal has filed two lawsuits against the Social Security Administration (SSA), one in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the other in the U.S.
Married Same-Sex Couples Get Many – But Not All – Federal Spouse Benefits

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June 20, 2014

Because many married same-sex couples face discrimination in their home states and won’t receive critical federal Social Security and veterans benefits, continuing hardships demand swift resolution.

See Also: DOMA, Marriage, Same-sex relationships
Attorney General Confirms More Federal Protections for Married Same-Sex Couples

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February 11, 2014

In broad and unequivocal language, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder emphasized in a memo released Monday that “It is the Department’s policy, to the extent federal law permits, to recognize lawful same-sex marriages as broadly as possible, and to recognize all marriages valid in the jurisdiction where the marriage was celebrated.”

See Also: DOJ, DOMA
Veterans Benefits to Become Available for Some Married Same-Sex Couples

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September 4, 2013

The announcement that the Executive Branch will no longer enforce the so-called mini-DOMA within the statute governing veteran's benefits is great news for veterans and their same-sex spouses.
IRS to Recognize All Married Same-Sex Couples

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August 29, 2013

This is the news we've all been hoping for.

See Also: Marriage, Same-sex relationships, Taxes
Supreme Court Upholds Use of Race in College Admissions

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June 24, 2013

We are relieved that the Court has preserved its 2003 Grutter decision. As legal advocates for LGBT people and people with HIV of all races and ethnicities, we are deeply committed to the values of diversity and fairness.

See Also: Diversity, Higher Education, U.S. Supreme Court
From Sex to Marriage: Opening the Door to Legal Victories

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March 22, 2013

In this installment of "From Sex to Marriage: How We Got From Lawrence v. Texas to the Cases Against DOMA and Prop 8," Lambda Legal’s Director of Constitutional Litigation, Susan Sommer, discusses the ways in which the Lawrence case opened the door to legal victories in the fight against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and marriage equality cases.

See Also: From Sex to Marriage, Lawrence v. Texas, Sodomy Laws, U.S. Supreme Court