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Lambda Legal Congratulates Iowa Supreme Court Justices on John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award

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"They took an oath to defend the Iowa Constitution and earned their place in history when they lived up to their oath with integrity and did the right thing before much of the rest of the country was ready."
May 7, 2012

(Chicago, May 7, 2012) - Today three Iowa Supreme Court Justices who ruled in favor of Lambda Legal's case (Varnum v. Brien) in a unanimous decision establishing marriage equality in Iowa will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

"Chief Justice Ternus, Justice Streit, and Justice Baker took an oath to defend the Iowa Constitution and earned their place in history when they lived up to their oath with integrity and did the right thing before much of the rest of the country was ready," said Camilla Taylor, Marriage Project Director at Lambda Legal and architect of the Varnum lawsuit. "We all rely on judges to their jobs faithfully without regard to public opinion. We congratulate them on this much deserved high honor."

In December 2005, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit with the Polk County Court on behalf of six same–sex couples who were denied marriage licenses in Iowa, arguing that denying marriage to same–sex couples violates the liberty and equality guarantees in the Iowa Constitution. In August of 2007 the district court ruled that denying marriage to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. On April 3, 2009 the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously upheld that ruling.

To learn more about the retention vote and the case read "What Happened in Iowa: Background and Analysis of the Judicial Retention Election" by Marriage Project Director Camilla Taylor

 

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Contact Info

Lisa Hardaway: Office: 212-809-8585 x 266;  Email: lhardaway@lambdalegal.org
        
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.

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