The U.S. Supreme Court has signaled
that it could decide by the end of November whether to hear a case
challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's gay
marriage ban.
The justices on Monday included the
case in a list of legal challenges it may consider. Other cases
related to gay nuptials are also listed.
The court is expected to review the
cases at its November 20 Conference and an announcement could come as
early as Monday, November 26.
“For far too long, gay and lesbian
couples in California have been waiting to exercise the fundamental
freedom to marry that the United States Constitution already tells
them they have,” said Adam Umhoefer, executive director of the
American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the group formed
specifically to challenge Prop 8. “With the distribution of our
case for the Court's consideration, we move one step closer to the
day when the nation will be able to live up to the promise of liberty
and equality enshrined in our Constitution, and all Americans will be
able to marry the person they love.”
Cases related to marriage equality
petitioned to the high court include challenges to the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA), California's Proposition 8 and Arizona's
decision to end domestic partnership benefits to state employees.
All are scheduled for consideration at the court's November 20
Conference.
(Related: DOJ
asks Supreme Court to hear New York DOMA challenge.)
It is important to note that should the
court decide against taking the Proposition 8 petition, then marriage
rights for gay couples would be restored in California. That is,
weddings could resume in California possibly within a few days after such a decision.