The State Journal-Register covered Fridays' hearing on the motion to dismiss in the marriage cases Lazaro v. Orr and Darby v. Orr which are being handled by the ACLU of Illinois and Lambda Legal respectively on behalf of 25 couples seeking to be married. Opponents of same-sex marriage had filed the motion to dismiss which Judge Sophia Hall denied.

It was a victory for couples like Patrick Bova and Jim Darby of Chicago, who have been together for decades. Bova said they could get married elsewhere, "but we want to get married in Illinois, our home state."