Activists take gay marriage fight to California's top court

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Lawyers for gay rights campaigners launched the latest round of a bid to legalize same-sex marriage in California, a joint statement from rights groups said. A coalition of rights groups filed a petition with the California Supreme Court in San Francisco asking it to overturn a lower court decision last month which upheld a ban on gay marriage in the state.

Lawyers representing the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union and Equality California claim the ban on same-sex marriages violates California's constitution, the statement said. The California Supreme Court must issue a ruling on the coalition's appeal within 90 days. In October, a three-member panel of the California Court of Appeal voted 2-1 to...