Married Cherokee lesbian couple fight another lawsuit

[NVMojo]

Mar 9, 2006, 22:45
Challenge filed by tribal court administrator marks third time for Judicial Appeals Tribunal to review couple’s marriage license


Dawn McKinley, left, and Kathy Reynolds, right, talk to reporters outside the Cherokee Tribal courthouse in Tahlequah, Okla., where justices heard arguments last August in a case involving the lesbian couple’s effort to have the tribe recognize their union.

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — For the third time, a challenge has been filed against a lesbian couple whose marriage certificate was issued by the Cherokee Nation.
Tribal court administrator Lisa Fields filed a petition for declaratory judgment from the tribe’s Judicial Appeals Tribunal.

The tribunal hasn’t set a hearing, but the couple’s lawyer said she will file a motion to dismiss the petition next week.

Fields’ suit is the third to be brought before the tribunal challenging the marriage of tribal citizens Kathy E. Reynolds and Dawn McKinley.
The Owasso couple filed for and received a marriage certificate May 13, 2004, and were subsequently married in Tulsa. They have not attempted to file the marriage certificate in tribal registers, even though the two previous challenges were dismissed.

more...

http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_1472.php

I support their efforts! We all need a less intrusive government!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I thought it interesting that the judges turned down two

other challenges because the people who brought them couldn't prove that any harm was done to them personally by the marriage. Would that US judges would do the same thing.

Anyone know what the Cherokee Constitution says? Is it just for the Western Cherokees and not the Eastern ones?

[Charlie Brown]

3. Both Tribal Codes guarantee equal rights, etc.

most Indian Charters pledge to honor the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, which guarantees Native Americans on reservations the same rights as US Citizens.

Both are on-line.

http://madison.law.ou.edu/constitution/cherokee/index.html#a2

http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/ccfolder/eccodetoc.htm

The relevant section is found in Ch. 1 - Civil Procedure, Section 40.


Here is the Indian Civil Rights Act:

http://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/icra1968.htm

[xchrom]

2. the third time?

their must be some individuals with a real grudge against gay folk.

do they as a couple or individuals contribute to tribal welfare or taxes as american citizens -- of course they do.

let people be who they are and participate fully in the world.

[NVMojo]

4. why is that so hard for fundies and such to understand?

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Yollam]

6. Yes, conservatives do lie, constantly.

So why don't you stop it?

[OKNancy]

7. yes they do lie, sometimes they aren't

very smart about the lies.