Lambda Legal client Dr. Robert Franke, who was evicted from a Little Rock, Arkansas, assisted living facility because he has HIV, has been invited by the White House to participate this week in a conference on HIV and aging. Dr. Franke, a retired educator and former minister, will attend the meeting with his daughter, Sara Bowling, and Lambda Legal HIV Project Staff Attorney Scott Schoettes. Schoettes will speak on a panel addressing issues likely to affect seniors living with HIV.

10/22/2010

"The Justice Department tried to block the Log Cabin Republicans' lawsuit from going to trial, arguing that the organization did not have members who were directly affected by the policy.

"The group initially filed its lawsuit on behalf of John Does and said they were active military members who could not be identified for fear of being discharged. The group later named gay veteran Alexander Nicholson as a plaintiff to better its chances.

>(Los Angeles, October 21, 2010) — Lambda Legal has released a short guide aimed at tax professionals and California's registered domestic partners explaining the consequences of a significant shift in federal tax policy as they file their tax returns for 2010.

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has failed to provide a meaningful explanation for its illegal release of the names of some 5,000 HIV-positive Medi-Cal recipients to a third-party service provider, said attorneys at Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC), and HIV & AIDS Legal Services Alliance (HALSA). A letter delivered to the agency from the groups today warns that DHCS must immediately act to protect the confidentiality of HIV patients, or face further steps that could include legal action.

"A judge's order this week ending the military ban on openly gay service members capped a ground-breaking year for gay rights advocates, who have won a series of courtroom victories on issues ranging from same-sex marriage to adoption.

Lambda Legal has sent a letter of support to the Snoqualmie School District on behalf of Mount Si High School senior and local GSA president Jacqueline Ferland, and her father, Daniel.

10/11/2010

"Eight teenage and adult males were arraigned Sunday on a range of charges including sexual assault, robbery, intimidation and hate crimes. Two were held in lieu of $100,000 bond, and the others were held without bond. Police said a ninth member of the Latin King Goonies, as the group called itself, was still at large.

10/8/2010

by Legal Director Jon Davidson

Just last month in this column we discussed antigay bullying in our Back to School issue. It is with a very heavy heart that we revisit this issue after the very recent suicides of at least four teens.

While Lambda Legal's fight for marriage equality grabs a lot of headlines, it is just a fraction of the work we do to seek protection and benefits for same-sex couples and their families.