APABA Signs on to Marriage Equality Briefs
January 23, 2006In amicus briefs filed January 10th with the California Court of Appeal, APABA joined more than 250 Asian/Pacific Islander and civil rights organizations in urging the court to put an end to state laws that deny same-sex couples the protections of marriage. The Court is hearing the State’s appeal of the March 2005 decision by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer, which held that California’s current statutory ban on marriage of same-sex couples violates the California Constitution. Lead plaintiffs in the case are Asian Americans Lancy Woo and Cristy Chung.
The APABA Board voted to sign onto two separate briefs: one on behalf of civil rights organizations throughout the state; the second on behalf of more than 25 Asian Pacific Islander groups. The brief on behalf of civil rights groups, authored by attorneys from O’Melveny & Myers, LLP, criticized laws that discriminate against gay people, including the law limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. Karin Wang, Vice President for Programs of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California, APABA Boardmember, and of-counsel on the brief, said “APALC supports this case because people of color in California are sadly familiar with marriage discrimination, as many of our communities were targets of racially restrictive marriage rules in the past. In addition, the civil rights of all communities are inseparably linked so it is important for civil rights groups to stand together in support of marriage equality.”
The brief on behalf of API groups described the long history of discrimination against API communities with regard to marriage in California. The brief was authored by Victor Hwang, an attorney with Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach. “As an Asian American whose ancestors were denied equal rights and protections under California law, I recognize the profound harm caused by denying lesbian and gay people the ability to protect their families through marriage,” said Hwang.
Links to the two briefs are below.
Amicus filed on behalf of civil rights organizations: http://www.nclrights.org/cases/pdf/aguilas_amicus_brief011006.pdf
Amicus filed on behalf of API organizations: http://www.nclrights.org/cases/pdf/api_amicus_brief011006.pdf
