The California Supreme Court is expected to announce a ruling today that will directly affect the future of Proposition 8 appeals and legislation.
According to the Los Angeles Times, today’s ruling will be in response to a request from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concerning the legality of efforts by Proposition 8’s sponsors to defend the measure.
In August of 2010, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled against Proposition 8 on the grounds that the 2008 ballot measure violated the U.S. Constitution by threatening equal protection guarantees. Although state officials refused to challenge the federal judge’s decision, Proposition 8’s sponsors at ProtectMarriage.com now seek to appeal the August ruling.
Today’s decision is expected to determine whether or not ProtectMarriage.com has the legal standing to oppose state officials and represent the state of California in defense of Proposition 8. If the appeal is dismissed, future effects of the battle over Proposition 8 will be limited to California. However, a ruling on federal constitutional issues would impact same-sex marriage decisions nationwide.
