Two Court Cases, One on Each Coast, to Watch

Late last week, there was a disappointing outcome in the New Jersey Senate, which voted not to uphold its constitutional obligation to provide equal protection to same-sex couples, as mandated by that state's Supreme Court in 2006. However, as Garden State Equality notes on its website, in statements made at a press conference following Thursday's vote, the organization is partnering with Lambda Legal to go back to court. Lambda Legal, which has done great work advancing LGBT rights in the courts, notes on its website some of the history leading up to this moment.

There's also another, perhaps even-higher profile court case starting today, involving the legal status of Proposition 8 in California. Though the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 last year, this new case will reopen questions around whether equal protection under law is violated by provisions against same-sex marriage. As this San Francisco Chronicle article notes, the case may go as far as the United States Supreme Court -- which would, of course, be a true watershed moment in the movement for LGBT equality.