A federal judge has set an August trial date for a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's ban on gay marriage.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb set an August 25 trial date, setting aside 5 days to hear arguments in the case.

Lawyers representing the state had asked Crabb to delay the case until the Wisconsin Supreme Court rules in a separate case challenging the state's domestic partnership registry. The registry extends a limited number of protections for gay and lesbian couples, but opponents argue that it violates the state's 2006 voter-approved constitutional amendment banning marriage and anything substantially similar to it for gay couples. An appeals court has previously upheld the registry.

Crabb denied the state's request.

Lead plaintiffs in the case are Carol Schumacher and Virginia Wolf of Eau Claire, who are asking the court to force the state to recognize their out-of-state marriage.

Wisconsin law also makes it a crime for gay couples to legally marry in another state.