CA: Federal Proposition 8 Trial Begins on January 11th

The trial in the federal lawsuit seeking to overturn California’s Proposition 8 starts Jan. 11 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. It could last a month. Representing the gay side are famed attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, who, in 2000, argued opposite sides of the Bush/Gore "hanging chad" election mess before the U.S. Supreme Court. Intervening for the gay side are lawyers from Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Their request to join the case on the same level as Olson and Boies was denied after they angered Olson and Boies by speaking ill of the case, saying it was poorly timed and unwise. The city of San Francisco also has intervened on behalf of the gays. The defendants in the case -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Attorney General Jerry Brown (who very likely is running for governor) and the counties of Alameda and Los Angeles -- will not actually defend Prop. 8 because they agree with Olson and Boies that it violates the U.S. Constitution. It is highly unusual for a state attorney general to refuse to defend his state’s constitution. Prop. 8 amended the California Constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage. Full Story from Bay Windows: http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=100447

Click here for gay marriage resources in California.

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