The Daily Herald covered Friday's hearing in the two marriage cases being managed by the ACLU of Illinois and Lambda Legal on behalf of a total of 25 couples seeking the freedom to marry in Illinois. Judge Sophia Hall threw out a motion to dismiss the case filed by same-sex marriage opponents. Friday's decision in the hearing allows the cases to move forward to hear the couple's arguments about how the denial of the freedom to marry harms them.

"Marriage is the standard in terms of how you define relationships in the U.S.," said 44-year-old Suzie Hutton, a plaintiff who now is in a civil union with her partner of 11 years, Danielle Cook. "It means something, and we want to be able to say we are married. It's about being with the one you love, the one who supports you and the one you go through the routine of life with."

Read the article.

 

The Associated Press published an article on Friday's hearing on the motion to dismiss in the two marriage cases, Darby v. Orr and Lazaro v. Orr, which are being handled by Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Illinois respectively and represent a total of 25 couples seeking the freedom to marry in Illinois. The case will now move on to hear arguments from the couple's side about how the current law discriminates based on sexual orientation.

"Illinois is the only thing standing between these families and full federal respect for their relationships," said Camilla Taylor, marriage project director for Lambda Legal, which along with the American Civil Liberties Union is representing the plaintiffs.

Read the rest (via the Quad City Times).

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."