Case: Gray v. Orr

1:13-cv-08449 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: Nov. 22, 2013

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On November 22, 2013, two women in a long term relationship filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Cook County. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, the ACLU, and Lambda Legal, asked the Court to prohibit the County from enforcing the state marriage ban and to require the County to issue them a marriage license. The plaintiffs contended that failure to do so would constitute a violation of the due process and eq…

On November 22, 2013, two women in a long term relationship filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Cook County. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, the ACLU, and Lambda Legal, asked the Court to prohibit the County from enforcing the state marriage ban and to require the County to issue them a marriage license. The plaintiffs contended that failure to do so would constitute a violation of the due process and equal protection guarantees of the United States Constitution.

One of the plaintiffs suffers from terminal breast cancer and she and her longtime partner wish to be married in Illinois before she passes away. An immediate injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Illinois marriage ban would be the only way to ensure that plaintiffs' hope of being legally married would be realized during their lifetimes. Although the Illinois legislature enacted a law that would allow same-sex couples to marry, that law was not scheduled to go into effect until June 1, 2014 (about six months after the complaint was filed). The plaintiffs feared that the terminally ill plaintiff would not live until the expiration of the marriage ban and asked the court to prohibit the County from enforcing the marriage ban in their specific case.

On December 5, 2013, Judge Thomas Durkin issued an opinion granting injunctive relief to the plaintiffs. The Court found that given the compelling circumstances surrounding the plaintiff's medical condition and her potentially imminent death, the injury she and her partner would suffer by denying injunctive relief would be irreparably great. The court noted that the relief granted was limited and extended no further than to the specific plaintiffs. The Court ultimately ordered the County not to enforce the marriage ban and to issue the plaintiffs a marriage license. 2013 WL 6355918, __ F. Supp. 2d __ (N.D. Ill. 2013).

Summary Authors

Nate West (9/23/2014)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4261630/parties/gray-v-orr/


Judge(s)

Durkin, Thomas Michael (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

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:13-cv-08449

Docket [PACER]

Dec. 30, 2013

Dec. 30, 2013

Docket
1

1:13-cv-08449

Complaint

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

Complaint
24

1:13-cv-08449

Memorandum Opinion and Order

Dec. 5, 2013

Dec. 5, 2013

Order/Opinion

4 F.Supp.3d 4

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4261630/gray-v-orr/

Last updated March 13, 2024, 3:06 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed by Vernita Gray, Patricia Ewert; Filing fee $ 400, receipt number 0752-8962489.(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
2

CIVIL Cover Sheet (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
3

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Jordan Mitchell Heinz (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
4

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Camilla Bronwen Taylor (Taylor, Camilla) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
5

MOTION by Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray for temporary restraining order, MOTION by Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray for preliminary injunction (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

1 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
6

MEMORANDUM by Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray in support of motion for temporary restraining order, motion for preliminary injunction 5 (Heinz, Jordan) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
7

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Harvey Michael Grossman (Grossman, Harvey) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
8

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Karen A. Sheley (Sheley, Karen) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
9

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Marc Oliver Beem (Beem, Marc) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
10

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by Zachary J. Freeman (Freeman, Zachary) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
11

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by M. David Weisman (Weisman, M.) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
12

ATTORNEY Appearance for Defendant David Orr by Paul Leo Fangman (Fangman, Paul) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
13

ATTORNEY Appearance for Defendant David Orr by Kent Stephen Ray (Ray, Kent) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
14

MOTION by Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan for leave to appear as General (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
15

MOTION by Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan to intervene (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
16

MOTION by Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan to intervene -- Proposed Pleading in Intervention (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
17

ATTORNEY Appearance for Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan by Malini Rao Assistant Attorney General (Rao, Malini) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
18

ATTORNEY Appearance for Intervenor Plaintiff Lisa Madigan by Christopher J. Kim Assistant Attorney General (Kim, Christopher) (Entered: 11/22/2013)

Nov. 22, 2013

Nov. 22, 2013

PACER
19

MEMORANDUM by Lisa Madigan in support of motion for temporary restraining order, motion for preliminary injunction 5 (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 11/25/2013)

Nov. 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013

RECAP
20

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin:Plaintiff's motion for a Temporary Restraining Order 5 is granted. Intervenor Lisa Madigan's motions for leave to appear 14 and, intervene 15 16 are granted. Motion hearing held on 11/25/2013. Status hearing set for 12/9/2013 at 09:00 AM.Mailed notice (srn, ) (Entered: 11/25/2013)

Nov. 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013

RECAP
21

TEMPORARY Restraining Order Signed by the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin on 11/25/2013:Mailed notice(srn, ) (Entered: 11/25/2013)

Nov. 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013

PACER
22

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiffs Patricia Ewert, Vernita Gray by John A. Knight (Knight, John) (Entered: 11/25/2013)

Nov. 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013

PACER
23

Ill. Att'y Gen'l Pleading as Intervenor by Lisa Madigan (Huszagh, Richard) (Entered: 11/25/2013)

Nov. 25, 2013

Nov. 25, 2013

RECAP
24

MEMORANDUM Opinion and Order:When balancing the equities as the Court is required to do, the Court concludes that the requested injunctive relief is the only equitable result. Signed by the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin on 12/5/2013:Mailed notice(srn, ) (Entered: 12/05/2013)

Dec. 5, 2013

Dec. 5, 2013

RECAP
25

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin:Status hearing held on 12/9/2013. By agreement this action is dismissed without prejudice with leave to move to reinstate on or before 12/19/13. Absent a timely filed motion, this order will become final with prejudice on 12/20/13. Civil case terminated. Mailed notice (srn, ) (Entered: 12/09/2013)

Dec. 9, 2013

Dec. 9, 2013

PACER
26

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS held on 11/25/13 before the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin. Court Reporter Contact Information: Laura Renke, laura_renke@ilnd.uscourts.gov, 312.435.6053. 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 12/31/2013. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 1/10/2014. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 3/10/2014. (Renke, Laura) (Entered: 12/10/2013)

Dec. 10, 2013

Dec. 10, 2013

PACER
27

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Thomas M. Durkin:This action is hereby dismissed with prejudice.Mailed notice (srn, ) (Entered: 12/30/2013)

Dec. 30, 2013

Dec. 30, 2013

PACER

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: Nov. 22, 2013

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Two women in a committed relationship seek a temporary restraining order enjoining Defendant from enforcing the Illinois marriage ban because one Plaintiff faces imminent death and would like to marry before the ban expires.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

ACLU Affiliates (any)

Lambda Legal

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Cook County (Cook), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Equal Protection

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Non-settlement Outcome

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Order Duration: 2013 - 2014

Content of Injunction:

Preliminary relief granted

Issues

General:

Marriage

LGBTQ+:

LGBTQ+

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Sexual orientation

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female