Nikki Araguz And Heather Delgado Battle in Houston Courtroom Tomorrow

TransGriot Note: Been quiet on the Nikki trans marriage case front lately but looks like another flurry of legal activity is about to get started.

Was e-mailed this press release moments ago.  Any questions you media peeps or others have about it, call Lauren Freeburn at 708-870-0146

Good luck, Nikki!.

Nikki Araguz and Heather Delgado face off again in a Houston courtroom in defense of Araguz's marriage to her late husband, fallen firefighter Thomas T. Araguz III.

A 1 PM CST hearing set for Thursday, November 10 in the Elias Ramirez Building, 5425 Polk St, Suite 130, Houston, Texas will determine Mrs. Araguz's status as a widow beneficiary for Workers' Compensation.

Attorney Peggy Campbell is representing Nikki Araguz before Presiding Hearing Officer Jacquelyn Coleman in this benefit contested case. A positive ruling in favor of Mrs. Araguz in this case could impact the previous negative ruling invalidating her marriage by Judge Randy Clapp (R), currently on appeal.

Nikki Araguz is a transsexual woman fighting for recognition of her marriage to a fallen firefighter, filed an appeal that seeks to overturn a judge’s ruling that the marriage is invalid.

Araguz was married to volunteer firefighter Capt. Thomas Araguz III from 2008 until his death while battling a blaze at an egg farm near Boling, Texas on July 3, 2010.

“At stake in this important case are the rights of transsexual people to be respected for who they are and to have their marriages recognized,” said Kent Rutter, the lead attorney for Araguz in the civil rights appeal. “We look forward to presenting our case to the court of appeals.”

“I am pursuing this case to defend my marriage,” said Araguz.

The tragedy of Thomas' heroic death has been amplified by allegations and lawsuits filed by his mother and ex-wife, resulting in national public interest and media attention. Certainly world-wide attention would have been averted without civil litigation - Nikki could have quietly mourned her husband's death. Instead, she continues to face legal and emotional battles that no surviving spouse should ever have to fight. After being forced into the spotlight, she is working on a documentary, a movie, reality television and an autobiography.

Delgado v. Araguz will be heard by the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi with Mrs. Araguz and her attorney making a statement after Thursday's hearing.