Buck v. Gordon
What's at Stake
A state-contracted, taxpayer-funded child placing agency sued the State of Michigan claiming a constitutional right to discriminate against prospective foster and adoptive families headed by same-sex couples in violation of State contracts. The ACLU, representing prospective adoptive parents Kristy and Dana Dumont, is seeking to intervene in this lawsuit in support of the State.
Summary
Kristy and Dana Dumont, who seek to adopt a child out of foster care, were turned away from two taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies in 2016 and 2017 because those agencies had a religious objection to accepting same-sex couples. The Dumonts sued the State of Michigan for allowing agencies to use religious criteria to exclude families who could provide loving homes for children. In March of 2019, the State of Michigan settled the lawsuit and announced that it will require all agencies with state contracts to comply with non-discrimination requirements and accept all qualified families.
In response, St. Vincent Catholic Charities-- one of the agencies that turned away the Dumonts-- sued the State, claiming the Constitution entitles it to a taxpayer-funded contract to perform public child welfare services and to opt out of the contract's non-discrimination requirement. Because the case is a direct attack on the settlement agreement in the Dumonts' case, on May 21, 2019, the ACLU filed a motion to intervene on the couple's behalf.
Legal Documents
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05/11/2020
Reversal of Denial of Motion to Intervene -
12/12/2019
Reply Brief of Amici Curiae-Appellants -
11/19/2019
Order Denying State's Motion to Stay -
10/29/2019
State Defendants-Appellants' Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal -
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11/06/2019
Plaintiff-Appellees' Response -
11/05/2019
Brief of Dumont's Support of State Defendants-Appellants' Motion for Stay Pending Appeal
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff-Appellees' ResponseDate Filed: 11/06/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsBrief of Dumont's Support of State Defendants-Appellants' Motion for Stay Pending AppealDate Filed: 11/05/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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11/06/2019
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10/28/2019
Motion to Intervene as Intervenor Defendants-Appellants -
10/16/2019
Brief of Proposed Intervenor Defendants-Appellants on Denial of Intervention -
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11/21/2019
Response Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellees
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsResponse Brief of Plaintiffs-AppelleesDate Filed: 11/21/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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11/21/2019
Date Filed: 05/11/2020
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 12/12/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 11/19/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 10/29/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 10/28/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 10/16/2019
Court: Appeals Court (6th Cir.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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11/17/2022
Dismissal Order -
01/26/2022
Stipulated Order and Judgment Resolving All Claims Against Defendant -
03/19/2020
Plaintiff's Motion to Stay -
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03/19/2020
Plaintiff's Brief in Support of Motion to Stay -
04/02/2020
Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion to Stay -
05/05/2020
Order Granting Motion to Stay
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Brief in Support of Motion to StayDate Filed: 03/19/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsDefendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion to StayDate Filed: 04/02/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Granting Motion to StayDate Filed: 05/05/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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03/19/2020
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06/19/2019
Brief in Support of Federal Defendants' Motion to Dismiss -
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08/20/2019
Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss -
08/10/2019
State Defendants' Response to Motion to Dismiss -
08/09/2019
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsReply in Support of Motion to DismissDate Filed: 08/20/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Response to Motion to DismissDate Filed: 08/10/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to DismissDate Filed: 08/09/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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08/20/2019
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05/29/2019
State Defendants' Motion to Transfer or Dismiss -
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09/26/2019
Order Regarding Motion to Transfer and Motion to Dismiss -
05/21/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer -
05/31/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer or Dismiss -
06/24/2019
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Transfer or Dismiss
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Regarding Motion to Transfer and Motion to DismissDate Filed: 09/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to TransferDate Filed: 05/21/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Transfer or DismissDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Transfer or DismissDate Filed: 06/24/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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09/26/2019
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05/21/2019
Brief in Support of Motion to Intervene -
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08/26/2019
Notice of Appeal to 6th Circuit -
08/12/2019
Order Denying Motion for Reconsideration -
08/09/2019
Motion for Reconsideration -
07/31/2019
Order Denying Motion to Intervene and Motion to Transfer -
06/04/2019
Plaintiff's Response to Motion to Intervene
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsNotice of Appeal to 6th CircuitDate Filed: 08/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Denying Motion for ReconsiderationDate Filed: 08/12/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsMotion for ReconsiderationDate Filed: 08/09/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOrder Denying Motion to Intervene and Motion to TransferDate Filed: 07/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Response to Motion to InterveneDate Filed: 06/04/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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08/26/2019
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04/16/2019
Plaintiff's Brief in Support of Preliminary Injunction -
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10/10/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Stay Pending Appeal -
10/07/2019
State Defendants' Notice of Appeal to 6th Circuit -
09/26/2019
Opinion on Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
06/12/2019
Plaintiff's Reply in Support of Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
Federal Defendants Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
08/26/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief Amici Curiae in Opposition for Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
State Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
05/31/2019
Proposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Support of Motion to Stay Pending AppealDate Filed: 10/10/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Notice of Appeal to 6th CircuitDate Filed: 10/07/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsOpinion on Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 09/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsPlaintiff's Reply in Support of Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 06/12/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsFederal Defendants Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief Amici Curiae in Opposition for Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 08/26/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsState Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Buck v. GordonLegal DocumentsProposed Intervenor Defendants' Brief in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary InjunctionDate Filed: 05/31/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
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10/10/2019
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04/15/2019
Complaint
Date Filed: 11/17/2022
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 01/26/2022
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 03/19/2020
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 06/19/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 05/29/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 05/21/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 04/16/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Date Filed: 04/15/2019
Court: District Court (W.D. Mich.)
Affiliate: Michigan
Press Releases
ACLU, Same-Sex Couple Seek to Join Lawsuit to Keep a License to Discriminate Out of Michigan’s Child Welfare System