U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

766 F.3d 648 (7th Cir. 2014)

Struck down Indiana and Wisconsin bans on same-sex marriage. Judge Posner's opinion applied heightened scrutiny and systematically dismantled each justification offered by the states for their bans, including tradition, child welfare, and democratic process arguments.

853 F.3d 339 (7th Cir. 2017)

Became the first federal appeals court to hold that Title VII's prohibition on sex discrimination encompasses discrimination based on sexual orientation. The en banc decision paved the way for the Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County.

441 F. Supp. 2d 899 (N.D. Ill. 2006)

Rejected the government's state secrets privilege defense in a case challenging AT&T's participation in the NSA's warrantless surveillance program. Held that the alleged surveillance program could be challenged without revealing classified information, addressing the tension between national security and civil liberties in the post-9/11 era.