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From the Closet to the Courtroom

Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation
by Carlos A. Ball
From the Closet to the Courtroom: Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation. Beacon, dist. by Random. 2010. c.288p. index. ISBN 978-0-8070-0078-6. $27.95. LAW
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Ball (law, Rutgers Univ.; The Morality of Gay Rights), who's written several books and articles on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, here describes and analyzes five major state and federal court cases (on family, harassment, discrimination, sexual acts, and marriage) involving LGBT rights. Included are the legal frameworks, legal arguments, plaintiffs and major players involved, resulting decisions, and impact of cases. He notes that these lawsuits have "helped to make LGBT people visible by forcing society to grapple with both their existence and their aspirations." Though lesser known than the progression of cases that established many civil rights for African Americans, a strategic series of cases are being pursued by lawyers for LGBT plaintiffs and organizations.
VERDICT While other recent books on LGBT court cases offer broader coverage, such as Susan Gluck Mezey's Queers in Court: Gay Rights, Law and Public Policy, no other book covers this particular set of cases. This will be of particular interest as the California gay marriage case wends its way through the courts and "don't ask, don't tell" features prominently in the news.
Reviewed by Mary Jane Brustman, Univ. at Albany Libs., NY , Aug 01, 2010
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