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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 95 results

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

Kerrigan v. State of Connecticut

(Amicus) Case seeking the right for same-sex couples to marry in Connecticut

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Connecticut Supreme Court

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Connecticut
Closed Case

Cleveland Taxpayers v. Cleveland

Lawsuit brought by an antigay legal group attempting to strip away the City of Cleveland’s newly enacted domestic partnership registry...

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: Ohio Court of Appeals, Eighth Appellate District

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Ohio
Closed Case

Knight v. Schwarzenegger

Case arguing to uphold domestic partnership laws despite Proposition 22, California’s antigay marriage initiative

Case Filed: 10/28/2011

Court: California Supreme Court

Decision: Victory

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • California
Closed Case

Young v. Lingle

Case seeking civil unions for same-sex couples in Hawai`i.

Case Filed: 07/29/2010

Court: The First Circuit Court of the State of Hawai`i

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Hawaii
Closed Case

Embry v. Ryan

Appeal of a Florida family court ruling that a second parent adoption a lesbian obtained in Washington state could not...

Case Filed: 07/01/2008

Court: Florida District Court of Appeal, Second Circuit

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Florida
Closed Case

Ellis v. Arriaga

Case arguing for equal protections for domestic partners who thought their relationships were registered with the state but were not...

Case Filed: 01/31/2007

Court: Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • California
Closed Case

Conaway v. Deane & Polyak

(Amicus) Case seeking the right for same-sex couples to marry in Maryland

Case Filed: 10/19/2006

Court: Maryland State Court

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Maryland
Closed Case

Godfrey v. Spano

Case arguing for recognition of out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples in Westchester County

Case Filed: 09/01/2006

Court: Supreme Court of Westchester County

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

Department of Human Services v. Howard

(Amicus) Case arguing against ban on any person who engages in same-sex sodomy from becoming a foster parent

Case Filed: 12/19/2005

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Decision: Victory

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Arkansas
Closed Case

Brinkman v. Miami University, et al.

University’s domestic partner benefits program threatened by antigay group and legislator

Case Filed: 11/22/2005

Court: Ohio Court of Common Pleas

Decision: Victory

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Employment and Rights in the Workplace
  • Health Care Fairness
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Ohio
Closed Case

Funderburke v. New York State Department of Civil Service, Uniondale Union Free School District, et al.

Case seeking health benefits for same-sex spouse of retired New York school teacher after they were married in Canada

Case Filed: 04/20/2005

Court: Supreme Court of the State of New York County of Nassau

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

Finstuen v. Edmondson

Case challenging an extreme law that left children adopted by same-sex couples in other states “orphans” when their families moved...

Case Filed: 09/15/2004

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Rulings, Laws and Amendments
  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Oklahoma
Closed Case

Hernandez v. Robles

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

Case Filed: 03/05/2004

Court: New York Court of Appeals

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

Goodridge v. Department of Public Health

(Amicus) Groundbreaking case seeking the right to marry for same-sex couples in Massachusetts

Case Filed: 11/01/2003

Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decision: Landmark Case

  • Marriage, Relationships and Family Protections
  • Massachusetts