CALIFORNIA
Smelt v. Orange County
Plaintiffs: Arthur Smelt and Christopher Hammer
Defendants: Orange County and Michael Rodrian, Orange County Clerk
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Gilbert & Marlowe
Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
STATUS: Pending: federal intermediate appellate court
Published Opinion: Smelt v. County of Orange, 374 F. Supp. 2d 861 (C.D. Cal 2005).
Details: On September 7, 2004, plaintiffs, having been denied a marriage license, filed suit, challenging the constitutionality of CaliforniaÂ’s discriminatory marriage law as well as the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Oral arguments are scheduled for January 27, 2005. Liberty Counsel and Alliance Defense Fund have intervened in the case. PlaintiffsÂ’ counsel has stated his intent to appeal the case as far as the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. Lambda Legal and NCLR petitioned the trial judge to delay his ruling on the case until a California state court has ruled on the validity of the stateÂ’s discriminatory marriage law. On June 16, 2005, the trial judge ruled against the plaintiffs, upholding the constitutionality of the federal definition of marriage portion of DOMA. The trial court abstained from considering the federal constitutionality of CaliforniaÂ’s marriage laws because they are currently being reviewed in state courts. The court also found that the plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the interstate recognition portion of DOMA. PlaintiffÂ’s filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is scheduled to hear oral arguments on April 4, 2006.
FLORIDA
Hunt v. Ake
Plaintiffs: Rev. Phyllis Hunt and Vilia Corvision
Defendants: Richard Ake, Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Ellis Rubin, P.A.
Court: United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division
STATUS: Concluded: case dismissed
Published Opinion: n/a
Details: On August 11, 2004, plaintiffs filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, specifically the failure of Florida to recognize their Canadian marriage license by virtue of that statute. On January 20, 2005, this case was dismissed along with Wilson v. Ake (see below). Plaintiffs have announced that they will not appeal.
Sullivan v. Bush
Plaintiffs: F.D.R. Sullivan and Pedro Barrios, along with three other same-sex couples
Defendants: Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida; John Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General; Charlie Crist, Florida Attorney General; Harvey Ruvin, Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Ellis Rubin, P.A.
Court: United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division
STATUS: Concluded: plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew case
Published Opinion: n/a
Details: On May 12, 2004, plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act. On August 27, 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss. On January 25, 2005, following an unfavorable ruling in two other federal cases in Florida, plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew their suit.
Wilson v. Ake
Plaintiffs: Nancy Wilson and Paula Schoenwether
Defendants: Richard Ake, Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts; John Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Ellis Rubin, P.A.
Court: United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division
STATUS: Concluded: case dismissed
Published Opinion: Wilson v. Ake, 354 F. Supp. 2d 1298 (M.D. Fla. 2005).
Details: On July 19, 2004, plaintiffs filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, specifically the failure of Florida to recognize their Massachusetts marriage license by virtue of that statute. Liberty Counsel made a motion to intervene. On August 12, 2004, that motion was denied. On January 20, 2005, Judge Moody granted the Department of JusticeÂ’s motion to dismiss the case. On January 24, plaintiffs announced that they would not appeal the case.
MINNESOTA
McConnell v. United States.
Plaintiffs: Mike McConnell and Jack Baker
Defendants: United States
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Law Office of Larry Leventhal
Court: United States District Court, District of Minnesota
STATUS: Concluded: case dismissed
Published Opinion: McConnell v. United States, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1313, *; 95 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 568 (D. Minn. 2005).
Details: Plaintiffs were issued a marriage license in the 1970s that was later revoked. They filed suit asserting a right to file joint federal taxes, arguing that their marriage pre-dated the Defense of Marriage Act. The government filed a motion to dismiss, which was granted on November 2, 2004.
NOTA BENE: It is not clear that this is a direct challenge to DOMA.
OKLAHOMA
Bishop v. Oklahoma (see “Federal Cases Challenging State Marriage Amendments”)
WASHINGTON
In re Kandu
Plaintiffs: Lee Kandu and Ann Kandu
Defendants: United States of America
PlaintiffsÂ’ Counsel: Resolve Legal, PLLC
Court: United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington
STATUS: Pending: appeal to federal trial court
Published Opinion: In re Kandu, 315 B.R. 123 (Bankr, W.D. Wash. 2004).
Details: On August 17, 2004, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Paul B. Snyder ruled that principles of comity governing recognition of foreign marriages would not require the court to allow a same-sex couple married in Canada to file a joint bankruptcy petition as spouses. Finding that the federal Defense of Marriage Act requires dismissing the petition, the judge also rejected several arguments that DOMA's application in this case violated the federal constitutional rights of the applicants. On August 30, 2004, the plaintiff appealed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.
NOTA BENE: It is not clear that this is a direct challenge to DOMA.