C-SPAN To Air Gay Marriage Ban Prop 8 Hearing

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to allow C-SPAN to

broadcast the December 6 oral arguments in the appeal of California's

gay marriage ban, Proposition 8, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The law's sponsor, ProtectMarriage.com, is appealing U.S. District

Judge Vaughn R. Walker's August ruling that declared the ban

unconstitutional.

The hearing's first hour will examine whether ProtectMarriage.com

and Imperial County have legal authority, or standing, to appeal

Walker's ruling. The groups intervened in the case after Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger and governor-elect Jerry Brown, as attorney

general, refused to defend the law in court. In his ruling, Walker said

he doubted the group's legal standing because they are not directly

affected by the law.

The second hour will examine whether Proposition 8 violates the equal

protection rights of gay and lesbian couples.

The plaintiffs – a gay couple and a lesbian couple who wish to marry –

are being represented by the American Foundation for Equal Rights

(AFER), a group formed to support the case.

The court's ruling is not expected to end the debate. Both sides have

said they believe the case will reach the Supreme Court.

Adamfoxie blog Int.