Attorneys representing 25 gay and
lesbian couples in Illinois plan to ask a judge on Wednesday to make
a quick ruling allowing their clients to marry in the state.
Lambda Legal and the Illinois chapter
of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced on Tuesday
that they would file a motion for summary judgment in Cook County
Circuit Court.
The couples filed their lawsuit last
year after being denied marriage licenses in Cook County. Nine
couples are represented by the ACLU of Illinois, while Lambda Legal
is representing sixteen couples.
Camilla Taylor, an attorney with Lambda
Legal, said the recent Supreme Court ruling gutting the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA) creates a need for a quick resolution.
Illinois currently recognizes gay
couples with civil unions. A marriage bill introduced earlier this
year stalled in the Illinois House after passage in the Senate.
The Supreme Court DOMA ruling clears
the way for the federal government to recognize the legal marriages
of gay couples. But the government will not recognize civil unions
or domestic partnerships as being on par with marriage.
(Related: New
Jersey gay marriage advocates return to court; ask for quick
approval.)