Member Spotlight

Groundbreaking Report on LGBT Inequality in the California Courts

The following Press Release is shared:

California, July 15, 2015 – Despite recent success at the Supreme Court, numerous challenges to LGBT equality remain.  Among the remaining frontiers for full LGBT equality is equal representation in the state & federal judiciary.  It is both ironic and sad that the very judicial institutions that we rely upon for our equality are themselves so unequal and un-inclusive of LGBT Americans.

The California LGBT Bar Coalition conducted a groundbreaking survey and found that LGBT representation on the bench is far from equal.  Among the key findings in this first in the nation survey:

• There has never been an openly LGBT Justice of the California Supreme Court.

• Currently, 45 of California’s 58 counties do not have any LGBT judges.  In other words, the LGBT community is not represented in the judiciary in 78% of the counties in California.

• Out of 438 Los Angeles County trial court judges only nine (9) of those judges self-identified as LGBT.

The survey analyzes the latest data on LGBT judges at every level of the court, identifies deficiencies in the data collected under California’s SB 182, and offers comprehensive and concrete recommendations on how best to increase LGBT inclusion on the bench.

The California LGBT Bar Coalition (“CLBC”) is a group comprised of the Judicial Endorsements chairpersons from each of California’s regional LGBT bar associations.  The CLBC’s mission is to monitor, analyze and promote LGBT representation on the bench.

Constituent bar associations of the CLBC include

Tom Homann LGBT Law Association.  The Tom Homann LGBT Law Association (“THLA”) is the San Diego LGBT bar association.  THLA’s mission is to advance lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues locally, nationally, and worldwide.  Visit thla.org for more information.

Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom.  Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) is the nation’s oldest and largest association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons in the field of law. Founded in 1980, BALIF represents its members’ interests in the wider San Francisco Bay Area. BALIF members and supporters include San Francisco Bay Area judges, lawyers, law students and legal workers.  Visit balif.org for more information.

Lesbian Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.  The Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (LGLA), founded in 1979, consists of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal professionals, judges, law students, and their allies, all dedicated to furthering justice, equality, and the advancement of LGBT issues in California, throughout the United States, and worldwide.  Visit lgla.net for more information.

SacLEGAL.  Sacramento Lawyers for the Equality of Gays and Lesbians (SacLEGAL), Sacramento’s LGBT minority bar association, is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year.  Made up of attorneys, other legal professionals and legislative advocates and affiliated with the Sacramento County Bar Association, its mission is to promote access to justice and equality for members of the LGBT community through strong leadership, legislative advocacy, education, and participation in civic and social activities within the legal community and community at large.  Visit saclegal.org for more information.

Orange County Lavender Bar Association.  The Orange County Lavender Bar Association (OCLBA) is the official association of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied attorneys, judges, and law students in Orange County.  Founded in 2010, OCLBA produces a dynamic series of programs that connect the bar and lay communities in Orange County to advocacy, education, charity, mentorship, networking, and community building activities that advance LGBT equality.  OCLBA is an affiliate of the Orange County Bar Association. Visit oclba.org for more information.