Continuing an argument that we saw throughout the debate over the freedom to marry, a defiant wedding purveyor vows to continue to turn away business from same-sex couples seeking to celebrate their marriages at his Paxton, Illinois bed and breakfast even if he loses a suit now before the Illinois Human Rights Commission.  Jim Walder told the Paxton Record that he expects the Illinois General Assembly to legislatively exempt business owners like himself from the state’s Marriage Equality Act if their religious beliefs oppose same-sex marriages. He and his lawyer further maintained that they are prepared to appeal any ruling not in their favor on the pending law-suit.  The ACLU of Illinois, which brought the suit against Walder when he refused to book a civil union celebration at his Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast in 2011, told the Paxton Record that the fight for equality for same-sex couples will continue:

“Entities that conduct business with the public are bound by Illinois law not to discriminate against customers for a range of reasons, including sexual orientation,” said Ed Yohnka, director of communications and public policy for the ACLU of Illinois. “The notion that we would carve out an exception to these laws for businesses that want to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples is something that we oppose strenuously.

“If such a carve-out is allowed, what next? Could a business say that they have a religious objection to folks of other religious beliefs, or against women? We do not let people pick and choose which non-discrimination laws they follow. We enforce the law for the benefit of everyone. Changing that policy invites chaos.”

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A human tragedy unfolds in Texas as a collision of patient rights, standard medical practices, and rigidly applied state laws battle over who controls death. According to The New York Times, a Fort Worth Texas hospital has over-ruled a patient’s wishes, and those of her family, refusing to disconnect the brain-dead woman from life support systems because she is 14 weeks pregnant. The hospital maintains it is doing so in compliance with Texas state law.  ACLU of Illinois executive director Colleen Connell recently addressed a similar issue noting:

“Health care must be delivered consistent with informed patient choice and medically-directed standards of care – not religious doctrine or directives.”

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One issue facing many counties across the nation is the lack of resources being committed to defender services in our system of justice. This issue was highlighted in a news analysis article by The New York Times looking at two innovative approaches to raising the quality of public defender representation.

The programs, in Washington State and Comal County, Texas both apply different tactics in order to improve the quality of court-appointed legal representation available to defendants. Comal County, Texas launched an experimental, voucher-type program that allows defendants to directly hire an attorney of their choice, using government money. In Washington State, Federal Judge Robert S. Lasnik, ruling in a case brought by defendants represented by the ACLU, imposed a federal monitor on public defender programs operating in two communities after determining that the current system was inadequate. The Judge, in a challenge brought by the ACLU of Washington, found that the existing system resulted in nothing more than a“meet and plead” process, denying poor criminal defendants with viable defense and legal representation.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, which represented the plaintiffs, said its lawyers believed this was the first time in the nation’s history that a federal judge had appointed a supervisor to oversee a public defense service.

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