Araguz vows to take fight to the Supreme Court
Posted on 16 Jun 2011 at 8:00pm
http://www.dallasvoice.com/araguz-vows-fight-supreme-court-1080290.html (http://www.dallasvoice.com/araguz-vows-fight-supreme-court-1080290.html)
Trans widow hires law firm involved with Lawrence v. Texas to appeal ruling denying her access to death benefits from her husband
JOHN WRIGHT | Online Editor
HOUSTON — Transgender widow Nikki Araguz this week announced a new legal team and vowed to appeal a judge's ruling denying her death benefits all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
Araguz said the Houston firm of Katine & Nechman, which served as local counsel in the landmark Lawrence v. Texas case that led to a Supreme Court ruling overturning Texas' sodomy law, will represent her on appeal.
Nikki Araguz, who until now has been represented by Frye & Associations, said she expects Katine & Nechman will partner with national LGBT advocacy groups on the appeal.
Araguz said she chose to switch law firms because the high-profile case could have broad implications for transgender equality, possibly addressing fundamental legal questions about how gender is determined.
Pardon me, but isn't that exactly how she lost the first round? Trying to make this about huge 'fundamental legal questions about how gender is determined' instead of the much finer and smaller point (and easier to argue) of 'according to Texas law, who gets the money?'