March 17, 2025 - In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision that established same-sex marriage as a constitutional right, Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law will host a symposium on the history and lasting impact of Obergefell v. Hodges.
What: Obergefell v. Hodges 10 Years Later
When: Thursday, March 20, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: NKU Student Union Ballroom
The symposium is part of the Northern Kentucky Law Review’s annual programming and, designed for both legal professionals and the general public, will offer a unique opportunity to hear from key figures involved in the landmark case that originated in Cincinnati.
“The Obergefell decision reshaped the legal and social landscape of our nation. As we mark its 10th anniversary, Chase is honored to bring key participants, legal scholars and the community together to reflect on its impact and discuss the challenges that lie ahead,” says Judith Daar, Dean of the Chase College of Law. “This event underscores our commitment to fostering meaningful conversations about civil rights and the every-evolving role of law in society.”
The opening panel will feature James Obergefell, the Cincinnati plaintiff whose fight for marriage recognition changed U.S. law; Richard Hodges, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health and titular defendant in the case; Al Gerhardstein, Mr. Obergefell’s attorney and lead counsel before the Supreme Court; and a recorded video of Judge Timothy Black, a Chase alumnus and the U.S. District Court judge who ruled in favor of Mr. Obergefell at the trial.
Additional panels of law professors, judges and advocates from across the United States will explore related topics including reproductive and family rights, the intersection of the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the future of civil rights in the U.S.
Registration, which includes lunch, is $65 for the general public, $50 for NKU alumni and free for university students, faculty and staff. Lawyers who attend may request six hours of continuing legal education credit in their licensing jurisdictions. Register for the symposium on the NKU website, and find more information on the panels and panelists on the Chase College of Law website.
About Northern Kentucky University: NKU is an entrepreneurial state university of more than 15,000 students on a thriving suburban campus nestled between Highland Heights, Kentucky and bustling downtown Cincinnati. Ranked in the top 30 out of 500 universities nationwide by The Wall Street Journal for exceptional value, we are a regionally engaged university committed to delivering an innovative, student-centered education. We empower our graduates to have fulfilling careers and meaningful lives, while contributing to the economic, civic and social vitality of the region. For more information, visit nku.edu.
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Corey Best
Bestc6@nku.edu
(859)-572-1473
