U.S. Attorney’s Office – DNJ Celebrates National Pride Month

In honor of National Pride Month, Attorney Larry Lustberg, Chair of the Gibbons P.C. Criminal Defense Department; and Danny Weiss, one of the first named plaintiffs in Garden State Equality v. Dow, joined members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office on June 19, 2015, for a discussion of the litigation that ultimately led to marriage equality in New Jersey.

Weiss, an immigration attorney, detailed the barriers he faced while trying to make crucial medical decisions for his husband, who was injured in New York City when he was struck by a car. At the time, they had a civil union from New Jersey and the New York hospital that was treating his husband did not recognize Weiss as his spouse. Lustberg discussed the strategy involved in using Weiss’ experience, as well as the experiences of other couples, to prove that New Jersey’s grant of civil unions to same-sex couples violated state and federal equal protection principles.

Lustberg also discussed the amicus brief he filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Garden State Equality in Obergefell v. Hodges, one of the four joined cases on marriage equality currently awaiting decision in the Court.

From left to right: Larry Lustberg, United Sates Attorney – DNJ Paul Fishman, Danny Weiss, Assistant United States Attorney – DNJ Michael Campion.