Kristin Perry, et al v. Arnold Schwarzenegger, et al

Filing 401

Filed (ECF) Appellants Martin F. Gutierrez, Dennis Hollingsworth, Mark A. Jansson, Gail J. Knight and ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on 8, A Project of California Renewal in 10-16696 Unopposed Motion to file oversized petition for rehearing and/or petition for rehearing en banc of 52 pages. Date of service: 02/07/2012. [8075722] [10-16696, 11-16577] (CJC)

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NOS. 10-16696 & 11-16577 DECIDED FEBRUARY 7, 2012 (CIRCUIT JUDGES STEPHEN REINHARDT, MICHAEL HAWKINS & N.R. SMITH) UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT KRISTIN PERRY, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. EDMUND G. BROWN, Jr., et al., Defendants, and DENNIS HOLLINGSWORTH, et al., Defendant-Intervenors-Appellants. On Appeal from United States District Court for the Northern District of California Civil Case No. 09-CV-2292 JW (Honorable James Ware) APPELLANTS’ UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR LEAVE TO EXCEED TYPEVOLUME LIMITATIONS Andrew P. Pugno LAW OFFICES OF ANDREW P. PUGNO 101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 100 Folsom, California 95630 (916) 608-3065; (916) 608-3066 Fax Brian W. Raum James A. Campbell ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND 15100 North 90th Street Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 (480) 444-0020; (480) 444-0028 Fax Charles J. Cooper Counsel of Record David H. Thompson Howard C. Nielson, Jr. Peter A. Patterson COOPER AND KIRK, PLLC 1523 New Hampshire Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 220-9600; (202) 220-9601 Fax Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenors-Appellants Hollingsworth, Knight, Gutierrez, Jansson, and ProtectMarriage.com Pursuant to Fed. R. App. P. 2 & 35(b)(2) and Circuit Rule 32-2, see United States v. Molina-Tarazon, 285 F.3d 807 (9th Cir. 2002), Appellants (“Proponents”) respectfully seek the Court’s leave to file a petition for rehearing en banc in excess of the applicable type-volume limitation of 4,200 words, see Circuit Rule 40-1(a). Specifically, Proponents request leave to file a petition for rehearing en banc containing no more than 12,000 words. For the following reasons, Proponents submit that they have substantial need for this relief.1 1. The panel majority decision holds that Proposition 8, a voter-initiated amendment to the California Constitution that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, CAL. CONST. art. 1, § 7.5, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It is difficult to overstate the importance of the outcome of this case to the people of California. As this Court has recognized, “in our social and legal traditions the institution of marriage has been considered to be an integral part of the foundation of a wellordered and viable society,” and it is thus “difficult to imagine an area more fraught with sensitive social policy considerations in which federal courts should not involve themselves if there is an alternative.” Smelt v. County of Orange, 447 1 If an extension of time to file a petition for rehearing en banc is necessary to permit the Court's consideration of this motion, we respectfully request that the Court treat this as a motion for such an extension as well. 1 F.3d 673, 679, 681 (9th Cir. 2006). The gravity of the panel majority’s decision is only heightened by the fact that it invalidates a provision of the California Constitution adopted through an exercise of the “fundamental right” of “the sovereign people’s initiative power.” Perry v. Schwarzenegger, 628 F.3d 1191, 1196 (9th Cir. 2011) (quotation marks omitted); see also Coalition for Economic Equity v. Wilson, 122 F.3d 718, 719 (9th Cir. 1997). For these reasons, it is imperative that the members of this Court have the information necessary for careful consideration of whether this case should be reheard en banc. 2. The importance and complexity of the issues presented by this case are reflected by the briefing to date. In the merits appeal, for example, the combined length of Proponents’ opening and reply briefs and Plaintiffs’ response brief exceeds 300 pages containing more than 80,000 words. Plaintiff-Intervenor City and County of San Francisco and nearly 50 amici submitted briefs spanning hundreds of additional pages. 3. In deciding the exceedingly important questions presented by this case, the panel majority affirmed the decision below, but for different reasons than those relied on by the district court. Accordingly, the panel majority’s reasoning rests on grounds only partially addressed in the briefing to date. 2 4. The panel’s ultimate ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional embraces rulings on several subsidiary issues that Proponents believe are erroneous and that misapply or conflict with the decisions of the Supreme Court, this Court, and other courts. Proponents’ petition for rehearing thus encompasses multiple issues. 5. In addition to addressing Proponents’ appeal on the merits, the panel’s decision also disposes of Proponents’ separate appeal of the district court’s denial of their motion to vacate the judgment on account of former Chief Judge Walker presiding over this case in violation of 28 U.S.C. § 455. Proponents are seeking rehearing en banc of this issue as well as of the merits. 6. The importance, complexity, and number of the issues presented by this case are amply demonstrated by the length of the panel’s opinions: the panel majority’s opinion is about 75 pages and 19,700 words; the dissent is about an additional 38 pages and 9,000 words. 7. Counsel for the other parties to this appeal have stated that they will not oppose this motion to exceed the type-volume limitations. For these reasons, Proponents respectfully request leave to file a petition for rehearing en banc of no more than 12,000 words. 3 Dated: February 21, 2012 Respectfully submitted, s/ Charles J. Cooper Charles J. Cooper Counsel of Record David H. Thompson Howard C. Nielson, Jr. Peter A. Patterson COOPER AND KIRK, PLLC 1523 New Hampshire Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 220-9600; (202) 220-9601 Fax Andrew P. Pugno LAW OFFICES OF ANDREW P. PUGNO 101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 100 Folsom, California 95630 (916) 608-3065; (916) 608-3066 Fax Brian W. Raum James A. Campbell ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND 15100 North 90th Street Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 (480) 444-0020; (480) 444-0028 Fax Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenors-Appellants Hollingsworth, Knight, Gutierrez, Jansson, and ProtectMarriage.com 4 9th Circuit Case Number(s) 10-16696 & 11-16577 NOTE: To secure your input, you should print the filled-in form to PDF (File > Print > PDF Printer/Creator). ********************************************************************************* CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE When All Case Participants are Registered for the Appellate CM/ECF System I hereby certify that I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of the Court for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by using the appellate CM/ECF system on (date) . I certify that all participants in the case are registered CM/ECF users and that service will be accomplished by the appellate CM/ECF system. Signature (use "s/" format) ********************************************************************************* CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE When Not All Case Participants are Registered for the Appellate CM/ECF System I hereby certify that I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of the Court for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by using the appellate CM/ECF system on (date) . February 21, 2012 Participants in the case who are registered CM/ECF users will be served by the appellate CM/ECF system. I further certify that some of the participants in the case are not registered CM/ECF users. I have mailed the foregoing document by First-Class Mail, postage prepaid, or have dispatched it to a third party commercial carrier for delivery within 3 calendar days to the following non-CM/ECF participants: See attached service list. Signature (use "s/" format) s/ Charles J. Cooper SERVICE LIST Arthur N. Bailey, Jr., Esq. HAUSFELD LLP 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3400 San Francisco, California 94104 Anita L. Staver LIBERTY COUNSEL P.O. Box 540774 Orlando, FL 32854 Thomas Brejcha THOMAS MORE SOCIETY 29 S. La Salle Street, Suite 440 Chicago, IL 60603 Mathew D. Staver LIBERTY COUNSEL 1055 Maitland Center Commons 2nd Floor Maitland, FL 32751 Anthony R. Picarello, Jr. Michael F. Moses UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 3211 Fourth Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20017 Lincoln C. Oliphant COLUMBUS SCHOOL OF LAW The Catholic University of America 3600 John McCormack Road, NE Washington, DC 20064 Michael F. Moses UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 3211 Fourth Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20017

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