Koebke v. Bernardo Heights Country Club

Opinion

MORENO, J.

Plaintiffs, a lesbian couple who are registered domestic partners, sued defendant country club, to which one of them belongs, alleging that the club’s refusal to extend to them certain benefits it extends to married members of the club constitutes marital status discrimination under Civil Code section 51, familiarly known as the Unruh Civil Rights Act (the Act). The club obtained summary judgment on plaintiffs’ marital status discrimination claim and the Court of Appeal affirmed. We granted review to determine whether the Act prohibits discrimination based on marital status.…