National Center for Lesbian Rights Hails Decision as a Victory for Fairness and Equality

California Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Must Be Allowed To Marry
National Center for Lesbian Rights Hails Decision as a Victory for Fairness and
Equality

San Francisco, CA - A California state court ruled today that same-sex couples must
be allowed to marry, a decision that NCLR called a victory for fairness and
equality. NCLR filed the lawsuit last year on behalf of 12 same-sex couples,
Equality California and Our Family Coalition.

The court ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor on two central arguments: denying gay and
lesbian couples the right to marry is impermissible gender discrimination and
violates the fundamental right to marry.

"I am so happy that my parents can finally get married," said Ericka
Sokolower-Shain, the fifteen-year-old daughter of plaintiffs Karen Shain and Jody
Sokolower. "My parents have been together for over 30 years. They have been
together so long they can practically read each others’ minds. It is only right they
should be able to get married."

"Couples who have made a commitment in life deserve the legal commitment to match,"
said Shannon Minter, NCLR’s Legal Director. "This historic ruling affirms the state
constitution’s promise of equality and fairness for all people. The court recognized
that when the government denies lesbians and gay men the right to marry, it is
treating them unequally."

"We are overjoyed by today's ruling," said Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, two other
plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "Fifty years ago, the California courts paved the way
for my mom and dad to get married when they struck down the state law barring
interracial couples from marriage," said Stuart. "Today, the court ruled that the
California Constitution protects my right to marry my partner John. We've been a
loving and committed couple for over 17 years. We've waited long enough to be able
to marry."

"Today we are one giant step closer to true equality for all California families,"
said Geoffrey Kors, Executive Director of Equality California. "The court recognized
that the government has no business putting obstacles in the path of people who are
seeking to care for their loved ones. Today’s ruling affirms that lesbian and gay
couples have the same need for the legal protections of marriage, and the same right
to equal protection and dignity under the law."

Plaintiffs Corey Davis and Andre Lejeune were elated by news of the decision. "As
African American gay men, we joined this lawsuit to lift the mantle of
discrimination and inequality perpetuated by the state of California through its
outmoded marriage laws," Corey stated. "Years from now, when marriage for gays and
lesbians is legal nationwide, our children will study this issue in school and
wonder -- just as the white kids in my generation did about those so violently
opposed to the co-mingling of the races and ending legal segregation -- they’ll
wonder and secretly pray that their relatives weren't any of those people
perpetuating discrimination against gays and lesbians."

Shannon Minter, NCLR’s Legal Director, is NCLR’s lead attorney on the case. NCLR was
joined by co-counsel Lambda Legal, the ACLU, the Law Office of David C. Codell, and
the law firms of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe and Steefel, Levitt & Weiss.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera also filed an action challenging the
constitutionality of excluding same-sex couples from the right to marry. The two
actions—Woo v. Lockyer and CCSF v. Lockyer—were consolidated last year. California
is the only state in which a municipality has joined with same-sex couples in
seeking marriage equality.

Judge Richard Kramer was appointed by former Republican Governor Pete Wilson in 1996
and took the bench in January 1997. During his eight-year tenure as a San Francisco
Superior Court judge, Kramer has handled both civil and criminal cases. Prior to
becoming a jurist, Judge Kramer specialized in bank litigation for 25 years. He was
born in Massachusetts and raised in California.

Legal briefs and other information about NCLR’s case are available at
http://www.nclrights.org.

NCLR is a national legal resource center with a primary commitment to advancing the
rights and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their
families through a program of litigation, public policy advocacy, and public
education. We can be reached through our website at http://www.nclrights.org.