Years of Groundwork—and Waiting—Behind Illinois Marriage Equality Lawsuits

Just how much work has gone into Lambda Legal's marriage case in Illinois?

Lambda Legal Marriage Project Director Camilla Taylor talked to Chicago public radio station WBEZ:

... A lot of legal calculation, and a lot of patience, Taylor said. Lambda has had its lawsuit drafted, at the ready, for eight years. But they waited. First came Taylor's victory before the Iowa Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in 2009. The group considered filing its lawsuit then, Taylor said, but instead chose to spend its energy on winning same-sex civil unions, which were approved by the General Assembly in 2011.

"Whether you file suit or whether you try and push legislation is determined by specific factors in a particular state, what your chances of success are," Taylor said.

Taylor also explained some of the pressures our plaintiff couples and their families have to face as the case progresses. LaKeesha Harris and Janean Watkins received hate mail postmarked the day Lambda Legal filed suit.

Read more and listen to the report here.