A federal district court judge on
Monday will hear arguments in a lawsuit challenging Nevada's ban on
gay marriage.
According to the AP, U.S. District
Chief Judge Robert Jones will hear oral arguments in Reno regarding
the case Sevcik v. Sandoval. Jones has said he wants to
quickly decide the case.
During an August 10 initial hearing,
Jones expressed skepticism about the need for a separate hearing,
saying he plans to rely on written statements and not courtroom
testimony in rendering his verdict.
The lead plaintiffs in the case are two
women in their 70s who have raised 3 children and have 4
grandchildren. Beverly Sevcik and Mary Baranovich have been together
more than four decades. They and seven other gay couples who wish to
marry in Nevada are represented by the legal group Lambda Legal.
In 2002, Nevada voters overwhelmingly
approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a
heterosexual union. Nevada in 2009 began recognizing gay and lesbian
couples with domestic partnerships, which offer far fewer benefits
than marriage.