Legal battle continues over Cincinnati gay rights initiative


An effort to repeal a 1993 charter amendment that made Cincinnati the only U.S. city to ban enactment or enforcement of laws based on sexual orientation continues to be the subject of a legal dispute as the election nears. A judge last week rejected a request for a temporary restraining order to keep the repeal off the November 2 ballot, but he did set an August 30 hearing to consider issues in the case. Opponents of the repeal said Friday that they do not view Hamilton County common pleas judge Mark Schweikert's rejection of the restraining order as a setback in their effort to keep the city from passing gay rights laws.
"He said it was not needed at this time, but he will take up the issues at the end of the month," said Phil Burress, president of Equal Rights, No Special Rights.y


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Legal arguments continue over Louisiana gay marriage ban


Louisiana already has a law banning gay marriage, but two appeals courts were set to hear arguments over a proposed constitutional amendment that would reaffirm that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Lawyers on both sides of lawsuits over the amendment agree that the matter will move through appeals courts in New Orleans and Baton Rouge to the state supreme court, which will decide whether the proposed amendment will appear on the September 18 ballot. The two suits were filed on behalf of Louisiana residents and argue that the proposed ban would invalidate custody rights and contracts of couples who are not married, whether they're gay or not. The state has argued that the amendment would not endanger such contracts.

Judges' rulings on the suits thus far have dealt with more procedural matters. The New Orleans civil district judge ruled Friday that the amendment should not go to voters next month because it deals with more than one issue and because September 18 is not actually a statewide election date. The first circuit court of appeal in Baton Rouge had arguments scheduled in one lawsuit for Monday morning. The fourth circuit in New Orleans had arguments set in a similar suit Monday afternoon.



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Children Of Lesbian Must Be Adopted By Lesbian Family Court Told


(London) Social workers have told a British court that two children must only be adopted by a lesbian couple because their birth mother was in a same-sex relationship.

Social services workers at Greenwich Council in South-East London told the court that the children should immediately be returned to the same "environment" that they experienced as infants.

For the past year the young boy and girl have been living with heterosexual foster parents. The reason the children came into the care of the council has not been revealed.

Social workers told a Family Proceedings Court judge that the situation is similar to that of a child of black or Jewish parents who should be adopted into a family of the child's racial or cultural background.