The Obama administration has asked the
U.S. Supreme Court to allow its lawyers to participate in oral
arguments before the court in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case
challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's gay
marriage ban.
Previous to filing a last-minute amicus
brief in the case on Thursday, the administration had not weighed in
on the issue.
In its brief, the Department of Justice
stopped short of calling on the court to strike down marriage bans
nationwide. But its position, that such bans in states where gay
couples are recognized but not allowed to marry violate equal
protection, affects at least 8 other states where civil unions or
domestic partnerships are legal.
(Related: Gay
groups cheer as Obama urges Supreme Court to strike down Prop 8.)
On Friday, President
Barack Obama stated that he felt there was no way to avoid the case,
saying he thought it was important to tell the court that the
administration feels such bans do not meet “constitutional muster.”
According to Equality
on Trial, the government has filed a motion requesting ten
minutes of argument time.