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Lambda Legal’s Case Work

For five decades and counting, Lambda Legal has proudly served as attorneys for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV. Find out what’s on our docket right now—and go in depth on each of our current cases below.

Showing 15 of 335 results

Closed Case

Ohio v. Carswell

(Amicus) Case arguing that Ohio’s constitutional amendment banning marriage for same-sex couples does not exempt one from domestic violence charges...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court:

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Ohio
Landmark Case

United States v. Marcum

(Amicus) Landmark case challenging the military’s sodomy law in the wake of Lawrence v. Texas which overturned all remaining sodomy...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Washington, D.C.
Closed Case

Debra H. v. Janice R.

Case on behalf of a nonbiological mother seeking custody and visitation rights with and to provide financial support to the...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: New York State Court of Appeals

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • New York
Closed Case

Matter of the Estate of Ranftle v. Leiby

Case defending a man’s right to the estate of his deceased spouse with New York’s long-standing law respecting out-of-state marriages...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court:

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Seniors
  • New York
Closed Approximate Case

Diaz v. Brewer (formerly Collins v. Brewer)

Case representing Arizona lesbian and gay state employees facing elimination of their domestic partner benefits.

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: United States District Court of Arizona

  • Employment and Rights in the Workplace
  • Health Care Fairness
  • Arizona
Closed Case

Lewis v. Harris

Case seeking the right to marry for same-sex couples in New Jersey

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: New Jersey Supreme Court

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • New Jersey
Closed Case

Pratt v. Indian River Central School District et al.

Case on behalf of a brother and sister challenging antigay harassment, discrimination and censorship by school officials.

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of New York

  • Students' Rights
  • New York
Landmark Case

Varnum v. Brien

Case that won the right for same-sex couples to marry in Iowa

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Iowa Supreme Court

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Iowa
Closed Approximate Case

L.P. v. Philadelphia, et al.

Case representing a transgender girl subjected to verbal and physical abuse because of her sexual orientation, gender identity, sex and...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: City of Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations

  • Transgender and Nonbinary Rights
  • Youth in Out-of-Home Care
  • Pennsylvania
Closed Case

In re Gwin

Administrative appeal of a state Medicaid program’s refusal to cover the cost of a life-saving organ transplant because the recipient...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System

  • Health Care Fairness
  • HIV
  • Arizona
Closed Case

Lewis v. New York State Department of Civil Service, et al.

Case arguing that New York’s state government follows the law by respecting out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples.

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: York State Supreme Court, Albany County

  • New York
Closed Case

Ralph v. City of New Orleans

Case arguing to preserve insurance benefits for same-sex couples after they are threatened by antigay group

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit; Civil District Court, Parish of Orleans

Decision: Victory

  • Health Care Fairness
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Louisiana
Closed Case

Vasquez v. Hawthorne

(Amicus) case on behalf of a man seeking to recover property from his deceased same-sex partner’s estate after a nearly...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Washington Supreme Court

  • Washington
Closed Case

Golinski v. United States Office of Personnel Management

Federal case seeking spousal health benefits for lesbian employee of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Decision: Victory

  • Employment and Rights in the Workplace
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • California
Landmark Case

Garden State Equality, et al. v. Dow, et al.

Case seeking the right to marry for same-sex couples in New Jersey.

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: New Jersey Superior Court

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • New Jersey