UPDATE: Final statements submitted in high profile marriage equality suit

Final Courthouse Press Conference

Final Statements Filed

SAN FRANCISCO—Lawyers in the first federal trial to examine whether state bans on same-sex marriages are constitutional have submitted new written arguments to the judge who will decide the issue.

Chief U.S. Judge Vaughn Walker requested the briefs summarizing the respective sides’ evidence to help him prepare for closing arguments.

In papers filed late Friday, lawyers for the sponsors of California’s gay marriage ban offered new twists on their claim that allowing gay men and lesbians to wed could undermine man-woman unions.

The potential harms they cited included giving bisexuals a legal basis for pursuing group marriages and unmarried fathers an incentive to abandon their children.

Lawyers for gay marriage supporters argued that no evidence existed to back those claims.

Walker plans to schedule closing arguments in the case sometime soon.

Media

San Francisco Chronicle — The measure’s sponsors, a conservative religious coalition called Protect Marriage, argued that subjective purposes were irrelevant and that Prop. 8 should be judged by its text: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” They also invoked President Obama – who said he opposes same-sex marriage for religious reasons, while also opposing Prop. 8 – as evidence that support for traditional marriage is not based in bigotry. [READ MORE]

The American Equal Rights Foundation

• Main points filed from both lawyers supporting the repeal of Prop 8 — READ MORE
• Trial summary — READ MORE