Federal judge overturns Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage.
Jeff Key, of Salt Lake City, holds the flag above his head Wednesday as a rainbow appears in the background during a rally for advocates of gay marriage in Salt Lake City. A federal court judge overturned California's same-sex marriage ban Wednesday.From The New York Times:
A federal judge’s forceful opinion Wednesday in favor of same-sex marriage is only the beginning of a process that is likely to go all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
The ultimate outcome of the California case cannot be predicted, but appeals court judges and the justices at the highest court in the land could find themselves boxed in by the careful logic and structure of Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s opinion, legal experts said.
In his ruling, Judge Walker found that California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage irrationally discriminates against gay men and women.
» Read the full analysis: In same-sex ruling, an eye on the Supreme Court [The New York Times]
» Prop. 8 ruling based on 'overwhelming evidence' [San Francisco Chronicle]
» Q&A: What the Proposition 8 ruling means [Los Angeles Times]
» Interactive map: State laws on gay marriage [Los Angeles Times]
» Gay marriage ruling puts Obama on the spot [Politico]