Gay Marriage Moves One Step Closer to the Supreme Court

The debate over the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the controversial voter initiative which added the phrase "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" to the state constitution, just moved one step closer to the Supreme Court. In a unanimous ruling issued today, the California Supreme Court held that the ballot measure's official proponents possess the legal standing to defend the measure in court. This matters because state officials currently refuse to provide a legal defense of Prop. 8. Today's decision permits the law's defenders to seek a ruling from the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which in turn sets the stage for an appeal to the Supreme Court.