(Chicago, IL, December 14, 2010) - To provide information and clarification to same-sex couples who are considering entering into a civil union when the new law takes effect in June, or whose out-of-state marriages will be treated automatically as civil unions under Illinois law, Lambda Legal has posted an FAQ on its website.

When Lambda Legal takes a case, we're in it to win. We're seeking equality and while many of our cases are uphill battles and some may be stepping stones to that ultimate goal, our mission is to make full equality real for LGBT people and people living with HIV nationwide. We even try to calibrate our losses to have impact that advances the civil rights of our particular constituencies.

Having accurate, government-issued identification documents such as a driver's license or birth certificate helps people define themselves with dignity, move about in the world with autonomy and even sometimes stay physically safe. Without such documents, it can be difficult to do such basic things as write a check or use a credit card, let alone get through security to fly on an airplane.

"A federal judge approved a legal settlement Wednesday requiring that Atlanta pay more than $1 million to people illegally detained during a raid on a gay bar, change police department policy and investigate the conduct of its officers.

"...Greg Nevins, an attorney in Lambda Legal's southern regional office, praised the plaintiffs in the case for stepping forward. The settlement effectively ends the lawsuit.

A settlement in the Atlanta Eagle raid lawsuit will force the Atlanta Police Department to rewrite unconstitutional policies regarding arrest, search and seizure, and make other changes to protect the public from police misconduct.

(Los Angeles, December 6, 2010) — In response to today's oral arguments in the appeal of a federal case striking down California's Proposition 8, Lambda Legal National Marriage Project Director Jennifer C. Pizer issued the following statement:

The Perry v. Schwarzenegger Ninth Circuit Oral Arguments are scheduled to begin at 10:00 am PDT, 1:00 pm EST today. Follow below for live updates on Twitter, or in Los Angeles join us for a viewing party at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

For live streaming video, visit cspan.org.

The parties have reached an agreement to settle this case, which they believe is in the best interest of the City, its residents, and visitors. This agreement includes monetary compensation and reforms of the Atlanta Police Department. Until this agreement is approved by the Atlanta City Council and by the District Court, the parties and counsel shall not make further comment to the media about this case.

The case is Calhoun v. Pennington

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Christopher Clark, senior staff attorney in the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda Legal, a national gay and lesbian civil rights organization, said the new law will benefit many couples who couldn't afford the costs of proper estate planning.

"Very often heterosexual couples go and put financial documents in place, but absent that, they have certain presumptions under the law if they haven't done that," Clark said. "But same-sex couples had no rights like that. It's an expensive process, and many can't afford it."

"Today is the 22nd anniversary of World AIDS Day, and Robert Franke, 77, can attest that the stigma attached to AIDS and HIV remains strong.

"A retired college provost and former minister confronting a host of medical problems, Franke moved from Michigan to Little Rock, Ark., in 2009 to be closer to his daughter, Sara Bowling.