Marriage Law Project Activities

The following list highlights some of the activities of the Marriage Law Project through June 30, 2001.

A. Generating Scholarly Resources

Homosexual Parenting Study. We have just released No Basis: What the Studies Don’t Tell Us About Same-Sex Parenting, by Robert Lerner and Althea Nagai. We commissioned this analysis of studies purporting to show that homosexual parenting has no negative effect on children. The researcher found that the studies are severely flawed. The report also examines how these studies have been used in court cases and the media. It is freely available on the MLP website and is also available for purchase in hard copy.

2001 American Law Institute (ALI) Conference. Co-sponsored and presented papers at a conference critiquing the ALI’s Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution. The papers will be published in a special symposium of the BYU Law Review late in 2001.

2000 Revitalizing Marriage Conference. Co-sponsored and participated in an academic conference on strengthening the institution of marriage at Brigham Young University. The conference papers will be published in book form in 2001 by Greenwood Press.

London Conference Statement. Drafted an international declaration reaffirming marriage in response to a 1999 academic conference in London regarding same-sex partnerships. The declaration was circulated among law professors throughout the world and 164 signed it. It was presented to the conference organizers and the press. The declaration is available on the public portion of the Marriage Law Project website.

1999 World Religions Report. Researched and drafted a report on the positions of major world religions regarding same-sex “marriage.” The data shows that the vast majority of religious groups support traditional marriage. A revised and updated version was released in early 2001.

1998 Creighton Conference. Helped organize and participated in an academic conference on interstate recognition of same-sex “marriage” at Creighton University . The conference papers were published in a special issue of the Creighton Law Review.

1997 Loving Conference. Organized and participated in academic conference regarding the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, which developed rebuttals to the frequent argument that same-sex “marriage” is analogous to interracial marriage. Papers from the conference were published in The Catholic University of America Law Review, Howard Law Journal, and BYU Journal of Public Law.

Other Conferences. We have also given papers at, among other places, the 1997 American Public Philosophy Institute conference at   Georgetown, the 1999 World Family Policy Forum at Brigham Young University, the 1999 Conference on Religion, Pluralism and Law in Quebec, Canada, and at a philosophical symposium held in the Netherlands in 2000, and at the University of Navarra in Spain in 2001.

 

B. Making the Legal Case

Vermont Same-Sex “Marriage” Case and Civil Unions Act. In addition to writing a brief for thirteen state legislators, we have written extensively about the Baker v. Vermont decision. Testified before House and Senate Judiciary Committees for constitutional amendment and against civil unions. Now helping Vermonters analyze next steps, and working to stop spread of civil unions. Published an article on a Marriage Amendment in the Vermont Law Review. See list of MLP Publications.

Nebraska State Constitutional Amendment. Prepared white paper in support of IM 416.

Hawaii and Alaska Same-Sex “Marriage” Litigation. Helped draft constitutional amendments that passed in 1998. Published law review articles in the Alaska Law Review and U. of Hawaii Law Review. See list of MLP Publications.

California Protection of Marriage Initiative. Provided legal assistance 1998-2000 in support of Proposition 22, including initial legal advice, research memoranda, and an extensive white paper offering point-by-point responses to false legal claims about Proposition 22.

State Defense of Marriage Acts. We have drafted or reviewed proposed “mini-DOMAs” in numerous States, and have offered testimony upon request in several of them. We have also published a law review article analyzing their meaning and implications.

The Netherlands . Drafted resolutions during the fall of 2000 calling upon the Dutch Parliament not to legalize same-sex “marriage.” One resolution was circulated among law professors worldwide and submitted to Members of both Chambers of Parliament.

World Congress of Families. The Director of the MLP served on Declaration drafting committee of the Second World Congress of Families in Geneva (November 1999).

C. Communicating with the Public

Presentations and Assistance to Religious and Civic Organizations. We have given presentations to such groups as the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors, United Methodist Action, the Christian Legal Society, National Youth Leadership Council, German Marshall Foundation, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Developments Regarding Same-Sex “Marriage.” We monitor and report on developments regarding marriage both within the U.S. and internationally as well. We regularly prepare both domestic and international updates for interested parties, which are available on our website.

Marriage Law Project Website. We have created a website for the Marriage Law Project, which contains information made publicly available to persons interested in preserving traditional marriage.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Courses. The Project has offered CLE courses at conferences sponsored by the The Catholic University of America, Brigham Young University, Alliance Defense Fund, National Diocesan Attorneys Association, and Focus on the Family.

Media Interviews. We have now been interviewed by CNN, ABC News, NPR’s Talk of the Nation, Citizen Magazine, Court TV, and various radio stations and reporters.

Articles. We have published in the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Weekly Standard, Crisis, NROnline, Capitol Commentary, Faith and Freedom, Hawaii Catholic Herald, Vermont Catholic Tribune, and The National Catholic Register, among others.