This is way off topic, but the Supreme Court will be handing down its eagerly-anticipated decision in In re Marriage Cases, no. S147999, today at 10:00 a.m. Some of the briefs from the case are collected at this link. When the opinion is posted, it should be available here: In re Marriage Cases, ___ Cal.4th ___ (May 15, 2008). This is the issue on review:
Does California's statutory ban on marriage between two persons of the same sex violate the California Constitution by denying equal protection of the laws on the basis of sexual orientation or sex, by infringing on the fundamental right to marry, or by denying the right to privacy and freedom of expression?
UPDATE: The Supreme Court, by a vote of 4-3, has answered that question in the affirmative:
Accordingly, in light of the conclusions we reach concerning the constitutional questions brought to us for resolution, we determine that the language of [Family Code] section 300 limiting the designation of marriage to a union “between a man and a woman” is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute, and that the remaining statutory language must be understood as making the designation of marriage available both to opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
Slip op. at 120.
That's really just incredibly wonderful.
Posted by: Matthew K | Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 11:05 AM