Supreme Court to Take on Prop 8 & DoMA

From Gay Star News:

The United States Supreme Court stepped into the forefront of the gay marriage debate Friday (7 December) by agreeing to review cases involving California's Proposition 8 as well the Defense of Marriage Act.

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The justices will consider whether Proposition 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

The lawsuit against Proposition 8 was filed by the American Foundation for Equal Rights on behalf of two California couples: Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo and Sandy Belzer Stier and Kris Perry. They will once again be represented in court by attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies.

As for DOMA, federal appeals courts in New York and Boston had ruled that the law is unconstitutional - rulings appealed to the Supreme Court by the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives.

The justices have agreed to hear the New York case which was filed by Edith Windsor who sued because she was required to pay a $350,000 federal estate tax bill. The government does not recognize her marriage to her late wife Thea Spyer.

The Republicans have spent nearly $1.5 million defending DOMA since President Barack Obama instructed the Justice Department last year to no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA.