Law Commons^™

The Seventh Circuit Finds The Fundamental Right To Marry Includes The Right To Choose One's Spouse, Even In Prison, Lauren B. Wright

Seventh Circuit Review

In recent years, the Supreme Court has continuously reiterated the importance of the right to marry, finding it to be a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. Activists across the nation have celebrated the Court's continued protection of this fundamental right as it has expanded the rights of same-sex couples. What has received somewhat less attention is how the Court's right to marry doctrine has affected a different segment of the population—prisoners. In the United States, there are currently 2.2 million people serving time in our nation's prisons or jails. For many of us, prisoners are people we would rather …

The Twenty-Five-Year Struggle For Marriage Equality: What Impact Does The Seventh Circuit’S Jurisprudence Have On Lgbt Civil Liberties?, Elly Drake

Seventh Circuit Review

Proponents fighting for the recognition of same-sex marriage as well as the legal ability to enter into the institution of marriage have typically argued that same-sex marriage bans violate the Fourteenth and Fifth Amendments of the United States Constitution. More specifically, they argue that the bans infringe upon an individual’s fundamental right to marry, discriminate on the basis of sex, and discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

State and federal courts have struggled with analyzing the merits of these claims and have been unsure of how to frame the legal issues. The courts have debated whether there is a …

More Than A Piece Of Paper: Same-Sex Parents And Their Adopted Children Are Entitled To Equal Protection In The Realm Of Birth Certificates, Shohreh Davoodi

Chicago-Kent Law Review

In Adar v. Smith, the Fifth Circuit held that Louisiana’s policy of refusing to issue accurate birth certificates to the children of out-of-state, same-sex adoptive parents does not deny those families equal protection of the law. This comment demonstrates that Louisiana’s policy does in fact violate the Equal Protection Clause. There are two ways Louisiana’s policy infringes on the rights of these families. First, the policy burdens fundamental rights stemming from the family autonomy of both parents and children. Second, the policy discriminates against out-of-state same-sex parents, treating them like second-class citizens. These concerns are strong enough that the …

Back To The Future: How Illinois' Legalization Of Same-Sex Relationships Retroactively Affects Marital Property Rights, Eric J. Shinabarger

Chicago-Kent Law Review

Until 2011, Illinois viewed same-sex relationships as “against public policy” and refused to recognize any same-sex civil union or marriage. However, many Illinois residents traveled to progressive jurisdictions in order to enter into legal samesex relationships. Afterwards, they returned to their lives in Illinois and lived together as married couples despite Illinois’ lack of recognition.

When Illinois legalized same-sex civil unions in 2011 and same-sex marriages in 2014, it immediately flipped a switch and began retroactively recognizing same-sex relationships entered into in other jurisdictions. While this prevents same-sex couples from being forced to jump through hoops to re-legalize their relationships, …