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Gay rights activist Vin Testa of DC waves a flag outside the U.S. Supreme Court building on Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Gay rights activist Vin Testa of DC waves a flag outside the U.S. Supreme Court building on Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
We’re expecting history this morning. To finish off what’s already been extraordinary and dramatic 2012 term that brought rulings on affirmative action and voting rights, the Supreme Court is expected to hand down two rulings today that could shape the future of same-sex marriage in the country.
NPR’s Nina Totenberg wrapped up the two cases like this four Newscast unit:
“One case tests the federal defense of marriage act, known as DOMA. The law bars federal benefits to same sex couples who are married in states where such unions are legal. Those challenging the law contend that it unconstitutionally denies them the equal protection of the law and that it also violates the Constitution by refusing to recognize state endorsed legal marriages. The second case, from California, is an outright challenge to state laws that bar same sex marriage. Same sex couples are challenging California’s ban as a denial of their constiutional right to equal treatment.”
The cases are United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth V. Perry. The court is expected to begin handing down decisions at 10 a.m. ET. Below, we’ve embedded live coverage from our friends at SCOTUSblog. They’ll start sending dispatches at around 9 a.m. ET.
Article source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/25/195588543/supreme-court-expected-to-issue-historic-rulings-on-gay-marriage?ft=1&f=1001