California Court of Appeal

In six consolidated cases involving the issue of whether excluding same-sex couples from marriage is constitutional, by a vote of two to one, the court of appeal holds that California's definition of marriage as the union between a man and a woman is constitutional, does not deprive individuals seeking same-sex marriage of a vested fundamental right or discriminate against a suspect class, the marriage statutes' opposite-sex requirement is rationally related to a legitimate government interest, and any change to the definition of marriage must come from the people and their elected representatives, not the courts.

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/05/2006
• Published 10/05/2006

Judges

• McGUINESS, P.J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Alliance Defense Fund, Benjamin W. Bull, Glen Lavy, Christopher R. Stovall, Dale Schowengerdt;  Advocates for Faith and Freedom, Robert H. Tyler;  Law Offices of Terry L. Thompson, Terry L. Thompson;  Law Offices of Andrew P. Pugno and Andrew P. Pugno for Plaintiff and Appellant Proposition 22 Legal Defense and Education Fund., Vincent P. McCarthy, Laura B. Hernandez and Kristina J. Wenberg for American Center for Law & Justice, Northeast, Inc., as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant Proposition 22 Legal Defense and Education Fund., Liberty Counsel, Mathew D. Staver, Rena M. Lindevaldsen and Mary McAlister for Plaintiff and Appellant Campaign for California Families., Thomas J. Kuna-Jacob as Amicus Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Louis R. Mauro, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Christopher E. Krueger, Douglas J. Woods, Kathleen A. Lynch, Hirem M. Patel and Zachery P. Morazzini, Deputy Attorneys General, and Louis R. Mauro, Assistant Attorney General for Defendant and Appellant State of California., Kenneth W. Starr, Los Angeles;  Kirton & McConkie and Alexander Dushku for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, California Catholic Conference, National Association of Evangelicals, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant State of California., The Claremont Institute Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, John C. Eastman, Redondo Beach;  Institute for Marriage and Public Policy and Joshua K. Baker for James Q. Wilson, Hadley Arkes, Steven G. Calabresi, Lloyd Cohen, Edward J. Erler, Robert P. George, Leon Kass, Charles Kesler, Douglas W. Kmiec, Daniel H. Lowenstein, David Popenoe, Stephen B. Presser, Katherine Shaw Spaht and Thomas G. West as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant State of California., Marriage Law Foundation and Monte N. Stewart for United Families International and Family Leader Foundation as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant State of California., Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, Gloria Allred, Michael Maroko and John Steven West, Los Angeles, for Plaintiffs and Respondents Robin Tyler, Diane Olson, Troy Perry and Phillip De Blieck., Heller Ehrman, Stephen V. Bomse, Richard Denatale, Christopher F. Stoll, San Francisco, Ryan R. Tacorda;  National Center for Lesbian Rights, Shannon Minter, Courtney Joslin;  Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Jon W. Davidson, Jennifer C. Pizer;  ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Christine P. Sun, Peter J. Eliasberg, Los Angeles;  ACLU Foundation of Northern California, Tamara Lange, Alan L. Schlosser, San Francisco;  Steefel, Levitt & Weiss, Dena Narbaitz, San Francisco, Clyde J. Wadsworth;  Law Office of David C. Codell and David C. Codell, Los Angeles, for Plaintiffs and Respondents Lancy Woo, Cristy Chung, Joshua Rymer, Tim Frazer, Jewelle Gomez, Diane Sabin, Myra Beals, Ida Matson, Arthur Frederick Adams, Devin Wayne Baker, Jeanne Rizzo, Pali Cooper, Karen Shain, Jody Sokolower, Janet Wallace, Deborah Hart, Corey Davis, Andre Lejeune, Rachel Lederman, Alexsis Beach, Stuart Gaffney, John Lewis, Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin, Our Family Coalition and Equality California, Del Martin, Phyllis Lyon, Sarah Connor, Gillian Smith, Margot McShane, Alexandra D'Amario, David Scott Chandler, Jeffrey Wayne Chandler, Theresa Michelle Petry, Cristal Rivera-Mitchel and Equality California., Law Offices of Waukeen Q. McCoy, San Francisco, and Waukeen McCoy;  Paul Hanley & Harley and Jason E. Hasley, Berkeley, for Plaintiffs and Respondents Gregory Clinton, Gregory Morris, Anthony Bernan, Edward Neugebauer, Stephanie O'Brien, Janet Levy, Joseph Falkner, Arthur Healey, Kristin Anderson, Michele Bettega, Derrik Anderson and Wayne Edfors., Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Jeffrey F. Webb for Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere, MassEquality, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Freedom to Marry as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Munger, Tolles & Olson, Jerome Roth and Daniel J. Powell, San Francisco, for Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, Family Pride, Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Inc., SacLEGAL and Tom Homann Law Association as Amici Curiae as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Cal-Women's Law Center, Vicky Barker;  Irell & Manella, Laura W. Brill, Elizabeth L. Rosenblatt, Douglas NeJaime, Los Angeles;  Legal Momentum, Jennifer K. Brown and Deborah A. Widiss for Cal-Women's Law Center, Legal Momentum, Herma Hill Kay, Equal Rights Advocates, The Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center and Queen's Bench Bar Association of the San Francisco Bay Area as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Jon B. Eisenberg for California State Conference of the National Association For the Advancement of Colored People as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., University of Toronto Faculty of Law International Human Rights Clinic, Noah Novogradsky;  Cassel Brock & Blackwell and Laurie Livingstone for The University of Toronto Faculty of Law International Human Rights Clinic, Women's Institute For Leadership Development, Mayo Moran, Brenda Cossman, Sujit Choudhry, Robert Wintemute, Paul Schiff Berman, Kenji Yoshino, Beth Van Schaack, William Aceves, Margaret Satterthwaite and Barbara Cox as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach and Victor M. Hwang for Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, Asian American Justice Center, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Equality, Asian Law Alliance, Asian Law Caucus, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California, Asian and Pacific Islander Equality, Asian Pacific IslanderFamily Pride, Asian Pacific IslanderHealth Forum, Asian and Pacific Islander Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Asian Women's Shelter, Asian Youth Promoting Advocacy and Leadership, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Progressive Association, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, Gay Asian Pacific Support Network, Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific Asian North American Religion, Japanese American Bar Association, Japanese American Citizens League, Korean Community Center of the East Bay, My Sister's House, Organization of Chinese Americans San Francisco Chapter, Southeast Asian Community Center and Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., O'Melveny & Myers, Peter Obstler, Nikhil Shanbhag, San Francisco, Flora Vigo and Jee Young You for Asian American Justice Center, Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Asian and Pacific Islander Lesbian and Bisexual Women and Transgender Network, Asian Pacific Islander Pride Council, Bienestar Human Services, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Equal Justice Society, Japanese American Bar Association, La Raza Centro Legal, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights o the San Francisco Bay Area, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Multicultural Bar Alliance of Los Angeles, National Black Justice Coalition, National Lawyers Guild of San Francisco, People for the American Way Foundation, United Lesbians of African Heritage, Ventura County Black Attorneys Association and Zuna Institute as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Raoul D. Kennedy, Elizabeth Harlan, Jo Ann Hoenninger, Joren S. Bass, San Francisco, Philip A. Lieder, Michael D. Meuti, Stephen Lee;  Eric Alan Isaacson;  and Reverend Silvio Nardoni, Glendale, for Affirmation:  Gay and Lesbian Mormons, Al-Fatiha Foundation, Dignity USA, Executive Committee of the American Friends Service Committee, General Synod of the United Church of Christ, Soka-Gakkai International-USA, Union for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, California Church IMPACT, California Council of Churches, California Faith for Equality, Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, Friends Committee on Legislation of California, Jews for Marriage Equality (Southern California), Pacific Central District Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, Pacific Southwest Council of the Union for Reform Judaism, Pacific Southwest District Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, Progressive Christians Uniting, Reconciling Ministries Clergy of the California-Nevada Conference of the United Methodists, Unitarian UniversalistLegislative Ministry-CA, All SaintsEpiscopal Church, All Saints Metropolitan Community Church, Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church Board of Trustees, First UnitarianUniversalist Church of San Diego Board of Trustees, Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church Board of Trustees, Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura Board of Trustees, UCC Community Church of Atascadero, Congregation BethChayim Chadashim, Congregation Kol Ami, Congregation Sha‘ar Zahav, Congregation Shir Hadash, Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Faith in Action Committee, First UnitarianUniversalist Church of Stockton, First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco, Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Kol Hadash, Community for Humanistic Judaism, Metropolitan Community Church in the Valley, Metropolitan Community Church of San Jose, Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles, Mt. Diablo UnitarianUniversalist Church, Mt. Hollywood Congregational ChurchUnited Church of Christ, Pacific School of Religion, Parkside Community Church, United Church of Christ, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, San Leandro Community Church, Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Justice Committee, Social Justice Ministry at First Church, St. John EvangelistEpiscopal Church, Starr King UnitarianUniversalist Church, The Ecumenical Catholic Church, Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Sacramento, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of South County, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County, Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo, Unitarian Universalists of Santa Clarita, United Church of Christ in Simi Valley, Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula, University Lutheran Chapel, Reverend DoctorPam Allen-Thompson, Reverend Rachel Anderson, Rabbi Camille Angel, Rabbi Melanie Aron, Reverend Joy Atkinson, Reverend JD Benson, Rabbi Linda Bertenthal, Pastor LeAnn Blackert, Reverend Susan Brecht, Pastor Paul Brenner, Reverend DoctorKen Brown, Reverend Kevin Bucy, Reverend Helen Carroll, Rabbi Ari Cartun, Reverend CraigB. Chapman, Reverend BarbaraM. Cheatham, Reverend Jan Christian, The ReverendBeate Chun, Reverend JuneM. Clark, The ReverendAnne G. Cohen, Rabbi HelenT. Cohn, Rabbi SusanS. Comforti, Rabbi Laurie Coskey, Reverend Lyn Cox, Reverend Sofia Craethnenn, Reverend Robbie Cranch, Reverend Matthew Crary, Reverend Cinnamon Daniel, Reverend Diann Davisson, Pastor Jerry De Jong, Reverend FrancesA. Dew, Rabbi LisaA. Edwards Ph.D., Rabbi Denise Eger, Reverend Michael Ellard, Reverend Stefanie EtzbachDale, Pastor Brenda Evans, Interim MinisterMark Evens, Reverend Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry, Reverend Michelle Favreult, Reverend Renae Extrum-Fernandez, Rabbi Joel Fleekop, Reverend Diana Gibson, Reverend DoctorRobert Goss, Reverend DoctorJune Goudey, Reverend RobertC. Grabowski, Reverend James Grant, Rabbi BruceDePriester Greenbaum, Reverend DoctorSusan Hamilton, Reverend Bill Hamilton-Holway, Reverend Barbara Hamilton-Holway, Reverend DoctorKathy Hearn, Reverend Jane Heckles, Rabbi Alan Henkin, Rabbi Jay Heyman, Reverend AnneFelton Hines, Reverend Jackie Holland, Reverend Marcia Hootman,Reverend Ricky Hoyt, Reverend Kathy Huff, Reverend Keith Inouye, Reverend Bryan Jessup, Reverend Jeff Johnson, Reverend Beth Johnson, Reverend Roger Jones, Reverend Julie Kain, Reverend Kathryn Kandarian, Reverend John Kirkley, Reverend BenjaminA. Kocs-Meyers, Reverend Kurt Kuhwald, Reverend Richard Kuykendall, Reverend Peter Laarman, Rabbi Howard Laibson, Reverend Darcey Laine, Pastor Scott Landis, Rabbi Moshe Levin, Reverend Tom Lewis, Reverend Ken MacLean, Rabbi Tamar Malino, Reverend ElderDebbie Martin, Pastor Michael-Ray Matthews, Reverend GregoryW. McGonigle, Reverend Joseph McGowan, Rev. William McKinney, Reverend Susan Meeter, Reverend EricH. Meter, Reverend Judith Meyer, Reverend BarbaraF. Meyers, Reverend Beth Miller, Reverend John Millspaugh, Reverend Sarah Moldenhauer-Salazar, Reverend AmyZucker Morgenstern, Reverend David Moss, Reverend Silvio Nardoni, Reverend JamesA. Nelson, Reverend Drew Nettinga, Reverend Julia Older, Reverend NancyPalmer Jones, Rev. Doctor Rebecca Parker, Reverend Ernest Pipes, Reverend Georgia Prescott, Reverend Carolyn Price, Reverend Sherry Prud'homme, Reverend Jane Quandt, Reverend Lindi Ramsden, Rabbi Lawrence Raphael, Reverend John Robinson, Reverend Carol Rudisill, Reverend Susan Russell, Reverend David Sammons, Reverend Thomas Schmidt, Reverend Craig Scott, Reverend Wayne Scovell, Reverend Michael Schuenemeyer, Doctor JohnM. Sherwood, Most ReverendMark Shirilau, The ReverendMadison Shockley II, Reverend Grace Simons, Most ReverendBruce J. Simpson, Reverend Dan Smith, Reverend Jeffrey Spencer, Reverend June Stanford-Clark, Reverend DoctorBetty Stapleford, Reverend Stanley Stefancic, Reverend Arvid Straube, Reverend DoctorArcher Summers, Reverend Steven Swope, Reverend Paul Tellstrom, Reverend Margo Tenold, Reverend Neil Thomas, Reverend Lynn Ungar, Reverend Nada Velimirovic, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Reverend TheodoreA. Webb, Reverend DoctorPetra Weldes, Reverend Vail Weller, Reverend Bets Wienecke, Reverend ElderNancy Wilson, Rope Wolf, Reverend Ned Wright and Rabbi Bridget Wynne as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Respondents., Dennis J. Herrera, City Attorney, Therese M. Stewart, Chief Deputy City Attorney, Julia M.C. Friedlander, Kathleen S. Morris and Sherri Skokeland Kaiser, Deputy City Attorneys;  Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin, Bobbie J. Wilson and Amy Margolis, San Francisco, for Defendant and Respondent City and County of San Francisco.