Right to Gay Wedding Photography Protected by HRA

As a guardian ad litem (GAL) and domestic relations mediator in New Mexico, I am keenly interested in legal cases of first impression involving family and home issues.  In a case involving the intersection of competing personal rights, the New Mexico Court of Appeals recently concluded that a professional wedding photographer's refusal--on personal and religious grounds--to photograph a same-sex commitment  ceremony constitutes a violation of NMSA 1978, Section 28-1-7(F) (2004) of the New Mexico Human Rights Act" (NMHRA or HRA).  See Elane Photography, LLC v. Willock, 2012-NMCA-086, cert. granted. Aug. 16, 2012, No. 33,687.

Willock first filed a discrimination claim against Elane Photography with the Human Rights

NM Separation, Divorce and Parentage Proceedings

Although I began my alternative dispute resolution (ADR) career in the labor/employment field, I have since expanded my practice to include domestic relation mediation and child protection related work.  Perhaps this seems like an odd combination to some.  However, I see a lot of similarities in these areas--work and family--in that both deal with intensely personal issues that affect major portions of our life's endeavors.  

I discuss neutrality principles generally and labor and employment issues in particular on my other blogs.  See On Being a Neutral, and  On New Mexico Labor and Employment Law.   Here, I will focus on "matters of family, child protection and home."  In this, my inaugural posting, I will address New Medico separation, divorce and parentage proceedings, from perspective of a domestic relations mediator.