Lambda Legal

Summary

In 1997, the city of New Orleans extended insurance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. In 1999, the City Council created a domestic partner registry that allows couples to make public commitment to care for and support each other. Both policies came under attack through a lawsuit brought by the antigay Alliance Defense Fund. At the city’s request, Lambda Legal joined a lawsuit to uphold these policies.

Lambda Legal's Impact

This victory means that domestic partner benefits and the city’s domestic partner registry will be kept intact, providing important protections for same-sex couples. It also shows the ADF and other antigay groups that their efforts to undermine protections for LGBT people will not prevail.

History

• August 2003 Lambda Legal joins City of New Orleans in defending domestic partnership benefits for same-sex partners of city employees.
• January 2005 Louisiana Appeals Court hears oral arguments in the case.
• December 2005 Louisiana Appeals Court holds that taxpayers did not have standing to challenge the New Orleans domestic partnership benefits and upholds ruling safeguarding health insurance benefits for same-sex partners of city employees.
• May 2006 Louisiana supreme court reverses the decision of the Louisiana Appeals Court, holding that taxpayers could challenge the New Orleans domestic partnership benefits. The case was returned to the trial court for further proceedings.
• September 2007 Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgement on the merits denied.
• November 2007 Defendants' cross-motion for summary judgement heard. The court took the matter under advisement.