The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the same-sex marriage appeal at 10 AM, or 30 minutes from now.
Beginning at roughly 10 a.m. ET, the justices will hear arguments in the appeal of a federal appeals court panels decision that struck down California’s Proposition 8, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Yesterday, California Attorney General Kamala Harris was on CNN and discussed why Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative banning same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional and how marriage equality is a fundamental right guaranteed to all Americans.
Also yesterday, thousands gathered in San Francisco for what could be called a pre-trial protest march:
According to CNN, protesters and observers who just hope to get a seat inside the courtroom are gathering ahead of todays landmark same-sex marriage appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court building.
The court could uphold the California law and leave it up to states to decide the issue of same-sex marriage. Or it could overturn the California law and also extend that ruling to the other 29 states that have added a same-sex marriage ban to their constitutions. The arguments are expected to last about an hour.
On Wednesday of this week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the appeal of the lower court decisions that struck down provisions in the Defense of Marriage Act, which restrict federal benefits to same-sex couples. Rulings are expected the week of June 24 at the latest, but the Supreme Court could issue them at any time after arguments are complete.
Stay tuned.
Bill Carroll