The Legacy of Lawrence v. Texas, Fifteen Years Later

Our regular Tech Tuesday feature will return next week. 

Fifteen years ago today, on June 26, 2003, the United States Supreme Court decided Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003). This landmark case struck down the Texas sodomy law which criminalized consensual sexual conduct between same-sex partners. The decision effectively recognized the right to privacy for intimate conduct between consenting adults in all fifty states.

Today is also that day that marks the five year anniversary of United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013), which struck down as unconstitutional the federal Defense of Marriage Act's definition of "marriage" as a union between opposite-sex spouses. And just three years ago today, the Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___  (2015), that all states must lawfully recognize and perform marriages for same-sex couples throughout the nation.

During the month of June, the Harris County Law Library is recognizing these and other landmark civil rights victories for LGBT people and their families. Our exhibit, LGBT Legal Resources, features landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases, historic federal legislation, and resources from the Law Library's print collection. Stop by the Law Library lobby to view the exhibit through the end of June. 

Also, you may wish to visit the digital collection of Lawrence v. Texas resources created and maintained by The Fred Parks Law Library at South Texas College of Law. The Special Collections Department at The Fred Parks Law Library houses the records of the Lawrence case, which were graciously donated by one of the attorneys on the case, South Texas alumnus and Adjunct Professor Mitchell Katine.