Case: Lee v. Orr

1:13-cv-08719 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: Dec. 6, 2013

Closed Date: Feb. 21, 2014

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Case Summary

Represented by Lambda Legal, the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois, and private counsel, Plaintiffs, four same-sex Illinois couples who wished to legally marry in Illinois, filed a class action suit against the Cook County Clerk on December 6, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violated their constitutional rights. The Plaintiff Class consisted of each Illinois resident over the age of 18, fully competent, and not precluded from marriage due to laws against bigamy or incest who wished to obtain a license to marry someone of the same sex and who, but for their sex, satisfies all legal requirements for marriage. Additionally, the Plaintiff Subclass consisted of those members who have a need to marry prior to June 1, 2014, due to a life-threatening illness.

Plaintiffs specifically sought a declaration that Defendant’s inability to issue them marriage licenses violated both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, the issuance of a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction enjoining Defendant and all those acting in concert from enforcing the state’s marriage ban as to members of the Plaintiff Subclass, and the issuance of a permanent injunction enjoining the enforcement of the marriage ban more broadly. The case was assigned to District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, who then assigned the case to Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez.

Plaintiffs brought this suit just a month after the Illinois General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 10, which amended the Illinois Marriage Act to allow same-sex couples to be legally married in Illinois. However, this amendment did not have immediate effect and was set instead to become effective June 1, 2014. Plaintiffs alleged that their exclusion from marriage in Illinois and the Clerk’s enforcement of that exclusion subjects them to “second class” status and deprives them and their children of “equal dignity, security, and legal protections.” The Illinois Attorney General joined the suit in support of Plaintiffs, the General Assembly filed a brief supporting Plaintiffs’ Constitutional claims, and Defendant stated that he did not oppose the motion.

On December 10, 2013, Judge Coleman granted temporary injunctive relief for the Plaintiff Subclass. 2013 WL 6490577. She then issued a preliminary injunction on December 16, 2013. A week later on December 24, Plaintiffs sought summary judgment, asserting that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage frustrates the individual and class plaintiffs' desire to marry in their home state by denying them equal protection under the law and infringing on their fundamental right to marry. Judge Coleman, in an opinion issued on February 21, 2014, held unconstitutional the state’s same-sex marriage ban as applied in Cook County and granted the motion for summary judgment. 2014 WL 683680.

This case is now closed.

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Summary Authors

Clearinghouse (2/21/2014)

Logan Moore (4/3/2024)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4261649/parties/lee-v-orr/

Judge(s)

Coleman, Sharon Johnson (Illinois)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Beem, Marc Oliver (Illinois)

Clark, Christopher R (Illinois)

Dawson, Kay L. (Illinois)

Attorney for Defendant

Baker, Sisavanh Baccam (Illinois)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Judge(s)

Coleman, Sharon Johnson (Illinois)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Beem, Marc Oliver (Illinois)

Clark, Christopher R (Illinois)

Dawson, Kay L. (Illinois)

Freeman, Zachary J (Illinois)

Gartel, Lally (Illinois)

Grossman, Harvey (Illinois)

Heinz, William D. (Illinois)

Knight, John A. (Illinois)

Nicklin, Emily (Illinois)

Press, Jeremy Mark (Illinois)

Sheley, Karen A (Illinois)

Taylor, Camilla B. (Illinois)

Weisman, M. David (Illinois)

Attorney for Defendant

Baker, Sisavanh Baccam (Illinois)

Fangman, Paul Leo (Illinois)

Ray, Kent Stephen (Illinois)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Huszagh, Richard Scott (Illinois)

Kim, Christopher J. (Illinois)

Rao, Malini (Illinois)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1:13-cv-08719	Docket [PACER]	Feb. 21, 2014	Feb. 21, 2014 Docket
1 1:13-cv-08719	Class Action Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 Complaint
1:13-cv-08719	Memorandum Opinion and Order [Granting Temporary Injunctive Relief]	Dec. 10, 2013	Dec. 10, 2013 Order/Opinion 2013 WL 2013
35 1:13-cv-08719	Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 Pleading / Motion / Brief
36 1:13-cv-08719	Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 Pleading / Motion / Brief
46 1:13-cv-08719	Memorandum Opinion and Order [Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment]	Feb. 21, 2014	Feb. 21, 2014 Order/Opinion 2014 WL 2014

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Resources

Title	Description		External URL Date / External URL
Lee v. Orr Lambda Legal	On Dec. 6, 2013, Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Illinois filed a class action lawsuit in federal court on behalf of four same-sex couples who seek to marry right away in Cook County, Illinois: Brenda L…	Dec. 10, 2013	Dec. 10, 2013 https://www.lambdalegal.org/...

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4261649/lee-v-orr/

Last updated March 24, 2024, 2:07 p.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed by Kenneth Ilio, Challis Gibbs, Ingrid Swenson, Brenda Lee, Patricia Tucker, Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Elvie Jordan; Filing fee $ 400, receipt number 0752-9000297.(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 Clearinghouse
2	CIVIL Cover Sheet (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
3	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Jordan Mitchell Heinz (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
4	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Camilla Bronwen Taylor (Taylor, Camilla) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
5	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Christopher R. Clark (Clark, Christopher) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
6	MOTION by Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan for temporary restraining order, MOTION by Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan for preliminary injunction (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013) 1 Text of Proposed Order View on PACER 2 Text of Proposed Order View on PACER	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
7	MEMORANDUM by Ronald Dorfman, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan in support of motion for temporary restraining order,, motion for preliminary injunction, 6 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Declaration of Elvie Jordan, # 3 Declaration of Challis Gibbs, # 4 Declaration of Ronald Dorfman, # 5 Declaration of Kenneth Ilio)(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013) 1 Exhibit A View on PACER 2 Declaration of Elvie Jordan View on PACER 3 Declaration of Challis Gibbs View on PACER 4 Declaration of Ronald Dorfman View on PACER 5 Declaration of Kenneth Ilio View on PACER	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
8	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Harvey Michael Grossman (Grossman, Harvey) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
9	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by John A. Knight (Knight, John) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
10	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Karen A. Sheley (Sheley, Karen) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
11	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Marc Oliver Beem (Beem, Marc) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
12	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by M. David Weisman (Weisman, M.) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
13	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Zachary J. Freeman (Freeman, Zachary) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
14	ATTORNEY Appearance for Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan by Richard Scott Huszagh (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
15	MOTION by Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan to intervene (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Pleading in Intervention)(Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 12/06/2013) 1 Proposed Pleading in Intervention View on PACER	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 RECAP
16	MEMORANDUM by Lisa Madigan in support of motion for temporary restraining order,, motion for preliminary injunction, 6 (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
17	NOTICE of Motion by Jordan Mitchell Heinz for presentment of motion for temporary restraining order,, motion for preliminary injunction, 6 before Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 12/9/2013 at 01:30 PM. (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/06/2013)	Dec. 6, 2013	Dec. 6, 2013 PACER
18	ATTORNEY Appearance for Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan by Malini Rao, Assistant Attorney General (Rao, Malini) (Entered: 12/09/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
19	ATTORNEY Appearance for Defendant David Orr by Paul Leo Fangman (Fangman, Paul) (Entered: 12/09/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
20	ATTORNEY Appearance for Defendant David Orr by Kent Stephen Ray (Ray, Kent) (Entered: 12/09/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
21	ATTORNEY Appearance for Defendant David Orr by Sisavanh Baccam Baker (Baker, Sisavanh) (Entered: 12/09/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
22	MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman: Motion hearing held on 12/9/2013 on Plaintiffs' Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction 6 and the Illinois Attorney General's Motion to Intervene 15 . The Motion to Intervene is granted. After hearing oral arguments on the Motion and considering the submissions of the Parties, this Court grants the temporary restraining order for the named plaintiffs and takes under advisement the motion with respect to the putative subclass. The parties are to advise the Court if an agreement is reached as to particular language or procedure for implementation of injunctive relief should a TRO be granted to the proposed subclass of plaintiffs. Status hearing and ruling set for 12/16/2013 at 10:00 a.m. Enter Temporary Restraining Order.Mailed notice (rth, ) (Entered: 12/10/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
23	TEMPORARY Restraining Order Signed by the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 12/9/2013:Mailed notice(rth, ) (Entered: 12/10/2013)	Dec. 9, 2013	Dec. 9, 2013 PACER
24	MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman: For the reasons stated herein, and contingent upon an agreement between the parties of a sufficiently delineated subclass or a satisfactory method of implementation of this Order, this Court grants the plaintiffs' motion for temporary injunctive relief. Status hearing set for 12/16/2013 at 10:00 a.m. to stand. Enter Memorandum Opinion and Order.Mailed notice (rth, ) (Entered: 12/10/2013)	Dec. 10, 2013	Dec. 10, 2013 PACER
25	MEMORANDUM Opinion and Order Signed by the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 12/10/2013:Mailed notice(rth, ) (Entered: 12/10/2013)	Dec. 10, 2013	Dec. 10, 2013 RECAP
26	Intervenor's Pleading by Lisa Madigan (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 12/11/2013)	Dec. 11, 2013	Dec. 11, 2013 PACER
27	ATTORNEY Appearance for Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan by Christopher J. Kim (Kim, Christopher) (Entered: 12/13/2013)	Dec. 13, 2013	Dec. 13, 2013 PACER
28	MOTION by Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker to certify class (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Beem, Marc) (Entered: 12/13/2013) 1 Text of Proposed Order View on PACER	Dec. 13, 2013	Dec. 13, 2013 PACER
29	NOTICE of Motion by Marc Oliver Beem for presentment of motion to certify class 28 before Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 12/16/2013 at 10:00 AM. (Beem, Marc) (Entered: 12/13/2013)	Dec. 13, 2013	Dec. 13, 2013 PACER
30	MEMORANDUM by Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker in support of motion to certify class 28 (Beem, Marc) (Entered: 12/13/2013)	Dec. 13, 2013	Dec. 13, 2013 PACER
31	MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman: Status hearing held on 12/16/2013. Plaintiffs' motion to certify the sub-class is granted based on the court's previous ruling. Plaintiffs' motion to certify class, presented in court, there being no objection 28 is granted. Plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction as to the sub-class of the medically critical individuals is granted and entered. Enter Preliminary Injunction. Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment to be filed by 12/24/2013. Response due by 1/9/2014. Reply, if necessary, due by 1/16/2014. Attorney General intervenor to file supporting brief by 1/9/2014. Upon being fully briefed, the court will inform the parties if oral argument is needed, otherwise it is taken under advisement. Mailed notice (rth, ) (Entered: 12/16/2013)	Dec. 16, 2013	Dec. 16, 2013 PACER
32	PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION Signed by the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 12/16/2013:Mailed notice(rth, ) (Entered: 12/16/2013)	Dec. 16, 2013	Dec. 16, 2013 PACER
33	TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS held on 12/9/13 before the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman. TRO. Court Reporter Contact Information: TRACEY D. McCULLOUGH, 312-435-5570, Tracey_Mccullough@ilnd.uscourts.gov. IMPORTANT: The transcript may be viewed at the court's public terminal or purchased through the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through the Court Reporter/Transcriber or PACER. For further information on the redaction process, see the Court's web site at www.ilnd.uscourts.gov under Quick Links select Policy Regarding the Availability of Transcripts of Court Proceedings. Redaction Request due 1/13/2014. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 1/22/2014. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 3/24/2014. (Mccullough, Tracey) (Entered: 12/22/2013)	Dec. 22, 2013	Dec. 22, 2013 PACER
34	WAIVER OF SERVICE returned executed by Patricia Tucker, Lee Edwards, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson. David Orr waiver sent on 12/23/2013, answer due 2/21/2014. (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/24/2013)	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 PACER
35	MOTION by Plaintiffs Patricia Tucker, Lee Edwards, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson for summary judgment (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/24/2013)	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 Clearinghouse
36	MEMORANDUM by Lee Edwards, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker in support of motion for summary judgment 35 (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/24/2013)	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 Clearinghouse
37	RULE 56 Statement by Lee Edwards, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker regarding motion for summary judgment 35 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Jordan Heinz, # 2 Exhibit 1 to Declaration of Jordan Heinz, # 3 Exhibit 2 to Declaration of Jordan Heinz, # 4 Declaration of Brenda Lee, # 5 Declaration of Lee Edwards, # 6 Declaration of Patricia Tucker, # 7 Declaration of Ingrid Swenson)(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 12/24/2013) 1 Declaration of Jordan Heinz View on PACER 2 Exhibit 1 to Declaration of Jordan Heinz View on PACER 3 Exhibit 2 to Declaration of Jordan Heinz View on PACER 4 Declaration of Brenda Lee View on PACER 5 Declaration of Lee Edwards View on PACER 6 Declaration of Patricia Tucker View on PACER 7 Declaration of Ingrid Swenson View on PACER	Dec. 24, 2013	Dec. 24, 2013 PACER
38	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Kay L. Dawson (Dawson, Kay) (Entered: 01/07/2014)	Jan. 7, 2014	Jan. 7, 2014 PACER
39	MEMORANDUM by Lisa Madigan in support of motion for summary judgment 35 (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 01/09/2014)	Jan. 9, 2014	Jan. 9, 2014 PACER
40	MEMORANDUM motion for summary judgment 35 by David Orr Response (Fangman, Paul) (Entered: 01/09/2014)	Jan. 9, 2014	Jan. 9, 2014 PACER
41	RULE 56 56.1(b) Statement by David Orr regarding motion for summary judgment 35 Response (Fangman, Paul) (Entered: 01/09/2014)	Jan. 9, 2014	Jan. 9, 2014 PACER
42	ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Ronald Dorfman, Lee Edwards, Challis Gibbs, Kenneth Ilio, Elvie Jordan, Brenda Lee, Ingrid Swenson, Patricia Tucker by Jeremy Mark Press (Press, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/16/2014)	Jan. 16, 2014	Jan. 16, 2014 PACER
43	SUPPLEMENT to motion for summary judgment 35, memorandum in support of motion 36 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Press, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/17/2014) 1 Exhibit A View on PACER	Jan. 17, 2014	Jan. 17, 2014 RECAP
44	SUGGESTION of Death as to Plaintiff Ronald Dorfman (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 02/11/2014)	Feb. 11, 2014	Feb. 11, 2014 RECAP
45	MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman: No genuine issue of material fact exists for a trier-of-fact to resolve therefore this Court grants summary judgment 35 in favor of the plaintiffs. Enter Memorandum Opinion and Order. Civil case terminated. Mailed notice (rth, ) (Entered: 02/21/2014)	Feb. 21, 2014	Feb. 21, 2014 RECAP
46	MEMORANDUM Opinion and Order Signed by the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman on 2/21/2014:Mailed notice(rth, ) (Entered: 02/21/2014)	Feb. 21, 2014	Feb. 21, 2014 Clearinghouse

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Case Details

State / Territory: Illinois

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Same-Sex Marriage

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 6, 2013

Closing Date: Feb. 21, 2014

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

All persons who reside in Illinois who apply for marriage licenses and who, but for their sex, satisfy all legal requirements for marriage under Illinois law, and a subclass of class members who have a need to marry prior to June 1, 2014, due to a life-threatening illness of one of them.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

ACLU National (all projects)

Lambda Legal

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Cook County Clerk (Cook), County

Case Details