Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger et al

Filing 61

MOTION to File Amicus Curiae Brief filed by ACLU Foundation of Northern California. Motion Hearing set for 7/2/2009 10:00 AM in Courtroom 6, 17th Floor, San Francisco. (Gill, Elizabeth) (Filed on 6/25/2009)

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Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger et al Doc. 61 Case3:09-cv-02292-VRW Document61 Filed06/25/09 Page1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ALAN L. SCHLOSSER (SBN 49957) aschlosser@aclunc.org ELIZABETH O. GILL (SBN 218311) egill@aclunc.org ACLU FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 39 Drumm Street San Francisco, CA 94111 T: (415) 621-2493/F: (415) 255-8437 JON W. DAVIDSON (SBN 89301) jdavidson@lambdalegal.org JENNIFER C. PIZER (SBN 152327) jpizer@lambdalegal.org TARA BORELLI (SBN 216961) tborelli@lambdalegal.org LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND, INC. 3325 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1300 Los Angeles, CA 90010 T: (213) 382-7600/F: (213) 351-6050 SHANNON P. MINTER (SBN 168907) sminter@nclrights.org NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS 870 Market Street, Suite 370 San Francisco, CA 94102 T: (415) 392-6257/F: (415) 392-8442 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA KRISTIN M. PERRY, SANDRA B. STIER, PAUL T. KATAMI, and JEFFREY J. ZARRILLO, Plaintiffs, v. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, in his official capacity as Governor of California; EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., in his official capacity as Attorney General of California; MARK B. HORTON, in his official capacity as Director of the California Department of Public Health and State Registrar of Vital Statistics; LINETTE SCOTT, in her official capacity as Deputy Director of Health Information & Strategic Planning for the California Department of Public Health; PATRICK O'CONNELL, in his official capacity as Clerk-Recorder for the County of Alameda; and DEAN C. LOGAN, in his official capacity as Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for the County of Los Angeles, Defendants. CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND, INC., AND NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS; [PROPOSED] ORDER Date: Time: Judge: Location: Trial Date: July 2, 2009 10:00 a.m. Chief Judge Walker Courtroom 6, 17th Floor Not Set CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE Dockets.Justia.com Case3:09-cv-02292-VRW Document61 Filed06/25/09 Page2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Additional Counsel: MARK ROSENBAUM (SBN 59940) mrosenbaum@aclu-sc.org LORI RIFKIN (SBN 244081) lrifkin@aclu-sc.org ACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1313 W. 8th Street Los Angeles, CA 90017 T: (213) 977-9500/ F: (213) 250-3919 DAVID BLAIR-LOY (SBN 229235) dblairloy@aclusandiego.org ACLU FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL COUNTIES P.O. Box 87131 San Diego, CA 92138 T: (619) 232-2121/F: (619) 232-0036 MATTHEW A. COLES (SBN 76090) mcoles@aclu.org JAMES D. ESSEKS (SBN 159360) jesseks@aclu.org LGBT & AIDS PROJECT AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, NY 10005 T: (212) 549-2500/F: (212) 549-2650 CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE Case3:09-cv-02292-VRW Document61 Filed06/25/09 Page3 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. and the National Center for Lesbian Rights hereby move the Court for leave to file a brief amici curiae in the above-captioned case, addressing plaintiffs' likelihood of success on the merits of their equal protection claim. Amici have conferred with counsel for Plaintiffs, Defendants, and Proposed Intervenors, and all counsel have consented to this motion. I. STANDARD FOR MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF AMICI CURIAE "District courts frequently welcome amicus briefs from non-parties concerning legal issues that have potential ramifications beyond the parties directly involved or if the amicus has unique information or perspective that can help the court beyond the help that the lawyers for the parties are able to provide." Sonoma Falls Devs., LLC v. Nev. Gold & Casinos, Inc., 272 F. Supp. 2d 919, 925 (N.D. Cal. 2003.) This standard is met here. II. IDENTITY AND INTERESTS OF AMICI CURIAE The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nationwide, nonpartisan organization with more than 550,000 members dedicated to the defense and promotion of the guarantees of individual liberty secured by state and federal Constitutions and civil rights statutes. The ACLU Foundation of Northern California, the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, and the ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties are the three California affiliates of the ACLU. Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. (Lambda Legal) is the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to achieving full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and those living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. With offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and New York, Lambda Legal litigates cases and engages in public advocacy in all areas of sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination law and policy. NCLR is a national non-profit legal organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Since its founding in 1977, NCLR has played a leading role in securing fair and equal treatment for LGBT people and their families in cases across 2 CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF AMICI CURIAE Case3:09-cv-02292-VRW Document61 Filed06/25/09 Page4 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 the country involving constitutional and civil rights. NCLR has a particular interest in protecting same-sex couples and their children. The ACLU, Lambda Legal, and NCLR have significant experience and interest in the issues presented in this case. Together, the organizations represented plaintiffs in the litigation that culminated in the California Supreme Court's decision in In re Marriage Cases, 183 P.3d 384 (Cal. 2008). The organizations also collectively filed the lead challenge to Proposition 8 in the California Supreme Court, which resulted in that Court's decision in Strauss v. Horton, 207 P.3d 48 (Cal. 2009). III. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights respectfully request this Court's leave to submit a brief amici curiae. Dated: June 25, 2009 ALAN L. SCHLOSSER ELIZABETH O. GILL ACLU Foundation of Northern California JON W. DAVIDSON JENNIFER C. PIZER TARA BORELLI Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. SHANNON P. MINTER National Center For Lesbian Rights MATTHEW A. COLES JAMES D. ESSEKS LGBT & AIDS Project American Civil Liberties Union Foundation MARK ROSENBAUM LORI RIFKIN ACLU Foundation of Southern California DAVID BLAIR-LOY ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties By: _______/s/_________ ELIZABETH O. GILL Attorneys for Amici Curiae 3 CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF AMICI CURIAE Case3:09-cv-02292-VRW Document61 Filed06/25/09 Page5 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 [PROPOSED] ORDER Good cause appearing, the motion of American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, and National Center for Lesbian Rights for leave to file a brief amici curiae is hereby GRANTED. IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: June , 2009 Hon. Vaughn R. Walker United States Chief District Judge CASE NO. 09-CV-2292 VRW [PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF AMICI CURIAE

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