Cases: Relationships
From big cities to small rural towns, from urban Connecticut to the far reaches of northern Maine, same-sex couples and their families are an integral part of the New England landscape. Legal recognition of same-sex relationships, however, is not as universal, varying from place to place and situation to situation.
A.E.H. v. M.R.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled unanimously September 28, 2012 that Massachusetts must recognize other states’ parallel spousal statuses for same-sex couples, such as California registered domestic partnerships. Under the ruling, both spouses are the… Read More →
Nolan v. Labree
Addressing the issue of parentage in gestational surrogate births for the first time, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on May 3, 2012 ruled that District Courts have the authority under current law to determine who… Read More →
Miller-Jenkins v. Miller-Jenkins
Update: On April 22, an arrest was made in the custody case involving former civil union partners Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller, and their daughter, Isabella Miller-Jenkins. Lisa did not comply with a court order… Read More →
Bedford and Breen v. New Hampshire Technical College System
The state of New Hampshire dropped its appeal in this case on May 7, 2007, providing a definitive victory for GLAD and the plaintiffs. The New Hampshire Superior Court ruled on May 3, 2006, that… Read More →
Tiverton School Committee v. McCullough & Boivin
GLAD worked with the ACLU of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island NEA on behalf of a retired teacher, a resident of Massachusetts, who sought spousal health insurance coverage for her new spouse under the… Read More →
Pulsifer v. Portland
GLAD represented the City of Portland, Maine against an attack on the city’s domestic partnership registry by ten-taxpayers, along with two anti-gay organizations, the Center for Marriage Law and the Alliance Defense Fund Law Center,… Read More →
T.F. v. B.L.
GLAD represented T.F., a biological mother seeking child support from her former partner, B.F. The two had decided together to have a child, with both agreeing to be parents and raise the child together. The… Read More →
In re Nancy Walsh
GLAD applied for and won compensation from the federal September 11 Victim Compensation Fund on behalf of Nancy Walsh, a lesbian whose partner of 13 years was one of the passengers on Flight 11 who… Read More →
Blanchflower v. Blanchflower and Mayer
GLAD filed an amicus curiae brief in a divorce case addressing the question of whether the New Hampshire adultery provision as a fault-based ground for divorce includes same-sex extra-marital relationships. GLAD’ s brief argued that… Read More →
Brindamour, et al. v. Manchester Board of Education
GLAD used the Connecticut anti-discrimination provisions based on sexual orientation and marital status to help a group of teachers and school administrators in Manchester, CT to obtain insurance benefits for their domestic partners. These educators… Read More →
Burns v. Burns
GLAD submitted an amicus brief in this Georgia case, the first addressing whether a Vermont civil union has the force of marriage in another jurisdiction. The case concerns a divorced mother, Susan Burns, who was… Read More →
Rubano v. DiCenzo
The Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that a lesbian co-parent could bring a claim in Family Court to resolve issues of visitation rights with the child she had raised with her former partner, the biological… Read More →
Baker et al. v. State of Vermont
GLAD won a ruling from the Vermont Supreme Court that recognized the right for same-sex couples to have their relationships afforded the same legal benefits, protections, and obligations as marriage under Vermont law, and ordered… Read More →
Connors v. City of Boston
In a disappointing decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court struck down an Executive Order issued by Boston Mayor, Thomas Menino, granting health insurance benefits to registered domestic partners of city employees, thus constraining the City… Read More →
Chambers v. Ormiston
The Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled on December 7, 2007, that the state’s Family Court does not have jurisdiction to recognize a same-sex couple’s Massachusetts marriage for the purpose of granting them a divorce.
GLAD… Read More →