Thomas More Society Continues Building Case to Stop Attack on Illinois Constitution and Laws

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

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, Thomas More Society's motion before Judge Sophia Hall in Cook County Chancery Court, to add three additional county clerks as interveners was granted in order to defend the lawsuit brought by the ACLU and Lambda Legal in an attempt to declare the Illinois law that limits marriage to one man and one woman void and as a violation of the Illinois Constitution of 1970.

The three Clerks that will now also intervene include Daniel Kuhn, Putnam County Clerk, Patricia Lycan, Crawford County Clerk, and Brenda Britton, Clay County Clerk.  These three elected county officials joined the Tazewell and Effingham County Clerks who were allowed to intervene to defend Illinois' Defense of Marriage Act after Cook County Clerk David Orr, who was named as a defended, said he agreed with the plaintiffs' claims and would not defend the lawsuit.  Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also declined to defend the suit, as did Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

"This lawsuit, while ostensibly targeted only at Cook County, will have an obvious impact on the status of marriage all over the State of Illinois. It is vital that these officials from other Illinois counties also  have the right to be heard and be permitted to intervene in the lawsuit," said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society. "These new clients want to be sure that the true meaning of marriage, as defined by Illinois' General Assembly and that commanded vigorous support from people all over the State of Illinois, has the benefit of a full and robust defense."

The hearing for the intervention of the three new County Clerks took place on Friday, November 30, 2012, at the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago.

Information on the history of this lawsuit can be found here.

About the Thomas More Society
Founded in 1997, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society is a national public interest law firm that seeks to restore respect in law for life, marriage, and religious liberty. The Society is a nonprofit organization wholly supported by private donations. For more information or to support the work of Thomas More Society, please visit www.thomasmoresociety.org.