Oregon Awaits Ruling on Domestic Partnership Referendum

PORTLAND, OR - Next Tuesday, July 8th, we could find out the fate of Oregon’s Domestic Partnership law that has been in effect since the beginning of February. Oregon’s anti-gay’s failed at collecting enough signatures for a referendum on both Oregon’s anti-discrimination and domestic partnership laws. They attempted once and lost their case in court, they’ve now appealed and it will be heard by a three judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court will hear oral arguments in Lemons v. Bradbury, the lawsuit brought by out-of-state groups seeking to revive last year’s failed referendum on Oregon’s domestic partnership law. They’ve given up on the anti-discrimination law until at least 2010 after a second failed attempt at collecting enough signatures.

A lower court judge allowed the law to take effect after a dramatic delay last winter, but now the Court of Appeals has agreed to fast-track the case. The 9th Circuit’s ruling could freeze the law again and even put domestic partnerships on the November ballot.

“The groups behind this lawsuit are the same people who failed to collect enough valid signatures to put a measure overturning Oregon’s domestic partnership law on the ballot last year,” said Jeana Frazzini, Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon. “But instead of accepting that their views are out of step with Oregonians, their out-of-state lawyers are still trying to force Oregon elections officials to give them a do-over. Their legal argument is wrongheaded - and putting caring, committed couples in harm’s way is just plain wrong.”

While it is unlikely that they would rule from the bench, there is a possibility.

For more background on the case, see http://www.basicrights.org/?p=126.