Category Archives: Federal Courts

Appeals panel rules for servicemembers with HIV

A Fourth Circuit U.S. Circuit Court panel on January 10 upheld a national injunction that prevents the U.S. military from discharging servicemembers just because they have HIV infection.

Senate confirms gay man for 9th Circuit

The U.S. Senate, on a strictly partisan vote, confirmed openly gay prosecutor Patrick Bumatay to serve on the nation's largest federal appeals bench.

HHS rule: ‘quintessentially arbitrary and capricious’

A federal judge in New York on Wednesday struck "in full" a rule adopted by the Trump administration in May that would have given wide latitude to health care workers to refuse treatment based on "religious and moral beliefs."

Two judicial nominees: one gay, one called a ‘bigot’

The confirmation hearing of openly gay prosecutor Patrick Bumatay was overshadowed this week by intense scrutiny of allegations that another Trump nominee harbors hostility towards LGBT people.

Supreme Court probabilities spell uncertain results

Taking a look at what each justice said during the October 8 Title VII case arguments and coupling that with their past voting records and remarks on LGBT decisions narrows down the prospects for how the U.S. Supreme Court

A glimmer of optimism in Title VII arguments

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to meld the argument regarding sexual orientation discrimination with that regarding transgender discrimination but one of the new justices signaled he was "really close" to seeing a Title VII claim.

Supreme preview: “Stakes could not be higher”

Many U.S. Supreme Court observers expect the trio of Title VII cases to be argued October 8 will be the most watched cases of the court's 2019-20 term. All believe the outcome will have enormous consequences.

After delays, Senate confirms ‘trailblazer’ to bench

The U.S. Senate last week confirmed President Trump's first openly gay federal judge nominee. Reports are now circulating he may re-nominate a second openly gay nominee to the Ninth Circuit, despite opposition by California Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein.

Justice Stevens: an early supporter on the Supreme Court

Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens was one of the first members of the nation's highest court to stand up for LGBT people, and he was proud of it. Stevens died at the age of 99 on July 16

Kennedy statement seems to drive religious refusal cases

The U.S. Supreme Court passed on its latest opportunity to decide whether a business can claim a religious exemption from a state law prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations, but such a case seems inevitable.