On January 7, Lambda Legal announced plans to return to court after the New Jersey Senate failed to pass a marriage bill, effectively ending any hope for further action this session. Lambda Legal's historic marriage case, Lewis v. Harris, resulted in victory in 2006 when the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of equality for same-sex couples. But the court directed the legislature to address the inequality—leading to New Jersey's hastily passed civil union law.
In December 2008 the NJ Civil Union Review Commission, appointed by the legislature, issued a report documenting how civil unions are a failure that fall short of the court-mandated equal treatment of same-sex couples. The report fed advocacy for the marriage equality legislation that was ultimately voted down in January.
"We will go back to the courts in New Jersey to fight for equality. Too many families are at risk. We cannot wait any longer," said Lambda Legal Executive Director Kevin Cathcart.
