"Couple's life goes on as court considers same-sex marriage" is the headline of this page one story today in the Indianapolis Star. Some quotes:
Nearly eight months have passed since a three-judge panel from the Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case, similar to the suit that last year resulted in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court striking down that state's ban on same-sex marriages.The case currently pending before the Indiana Court of Appeals is titled Morrison v. Sadler. Earlier Indiana Law Blog entries may be found here: 2/27/04, 2/16/04, 2/4/04 (comprehensive), 1/13/04 (comprehensive), 1/8/04, and 12/14/03. Morrison v. Sadler was argued before Judges Friedlander, Kirsch and Barnes on 1/12/04. Many of the documents in the case can be found here. Posted by Marcia Oddi at September 16, 2004 01:04 PMWhile the Indiana court has issued rulings in other cases heard after the Jan. 12 oral arguments, there is no indication when it will rule in the marriage case. * * *
The three appellate judges who will decide the case are Chief Judge James S. Kirsch, of Indianapolis; Michael P. Barnes, of South Bend; and Ezra H. Friedlander, of Carmel.
Regardless of how they rule, the case is likely to end up with the Indiana Supreme Court.
As the case moves through the court system, the Indiana General Assembly is expected next year to consider a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. If approved, the amendment would override a court ruling that opens the door to same-sex marriage or civil unions.*
The legal challenge to Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage is among about a dozen pending in states across the country, said Heather Sawyer, supervising attorney for Lambda Legal, a national organization fighting for the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.
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*[A] proposal to amend the Indiana Constitution to ban same-sex marriage is expected to be considered by the General Assembly in 2005. If approved, the proposal would require a second approval by the legislature in 2007, then would be put to a referendum of voters in November 2008. [This is from a side-bar to the main Star story.]