Thomas More Society Expects Redefinition of Illinois Marriage to Provoke Attacks on Free Speech Rights

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net

CHICAGO, Nov. 14, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, Thomas More Society attorneys secured a further agreement from ACLU and Lambda Legal attorneys, as well as the Illinois Attorney General and Cook County State's Attorney, to stay all further proceedings in the "same sex marriage" lawsuit currently pending before Hon. Sophia Hall in the Cook County Circuit Court. The case will remain stayed until Illinois' new law redefining marriage takes effect. While Governor Quinn has stated that he will sign the bill just passed by the General Assembly into law later this month, the new law will not be enforceable until June 1, 2014. Accordingly, the parties will return to court on Monday, June 2, 2014, to have the case dismissed as "moot," as the plaintiffs -- same sex couples from all over Illinois -- will then be able to get legally married, which is the relief for which they sued.

The lawsuit was filed back in May 2012 by the Illinois ACLU and Lambda Legal, alleging that Illinois' marriage laws were unconstitutional under various provisions in the Illinois Constitution of 1970. Cook County Clerk David Orr, as well as the Illinois Attorney General and Cook County State's Attorney, would not defend Illinois' legal restriction of marriage to opposite sex couples, as they claimed they believed that the opposite sex requirement for marriage was unconstitutional. At that point, Thomas More Society attorneys intervened to defend the marriage laws on behalf of five downstate Illinois County Clerks, who opposed homosexual marriage or the prospect of different marriage laws between Cook County and downstate Illinois counties.

Under the General Assembly's newly amended law, marriage is now available to same sex as well as opposite sex couples. Yet, while the General Assembly has legally redefined marriage in Illinois, the old laws were not found to be in violation of the Illinois Constitution, nor the federal constitution.

"Today's ruling and the expected dismissal of this lawsuit next June will likely not end all litigation involving same sex marriage issues," said Tom Brejcha, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Society. "Rather, we expect that further efforts will be undertaken by plaintiffs' lawyers or by others to use the redefinition of marriage in Illinois as a cudgel to infringe on rights of free speech and the free exercise of religion on the part of Illinois citizens who conscientiously oppose homosexual relations as gravely wrong and sinful. In other states where marriage has been similarly redefined, forceful and repeated attacks have been waged against such individuals, religious groups or associations, and business owners. At Thomas More Society, we are prepared to defend the free and untrammeled exercise of sincerely held religious beliefs and the right to advocate freely against homosexual acts by those who adhere to Church teachings and Biblical principles. Americans' preeminent and paramount rights of free speech and the exercise of religious liberty must prevail."

Brejcha added that Thomas More Society, true to the example of its namesake, St. Thomas More, who gave up his life as "the King's good servant, but God's first," is fully prepared and poised to defend Illinois citizens' rights of conscience as inalienable. In the words of former Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (West Va. Bd.of Education vs. Barnette, 1943): "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us."

Individuals, civic or social groups, or fraternal or other associations or business owners may secure legal consultation or other assistance in defense of free speech rights and religious liberties from the Thomas More Society at 312-782-1680 or at info@thomasmoresociety.org.

About the Thomas More Society
The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit public interest law firm whose mission is to restore respect in law for life, marriage, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago, the Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro-bono professional legal services from federal, state, and local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. www.thomasmoresociety.org