Side Supporting California's Prop 8 Soon Set To Press Case For Traditional Marriage In Federal Court As Plaintiff Rests Case In Trial

The Wall Street Journal reports that the plaintiffs "will likely rest their case Monday in the federal trial over California's Proposition 8, setting the stage for backers of the ban on same-sex marriage to open their line of defense... Judge Vaughn Walker will decide whether the 2008 voter initiative that limited marriage to a man and a woman codified discrimination or protected a legitimate state interest. This is the first federal challenge to state gay-marriage bans Defense lawyer Andrew Pugno said his side would present evidence from experts that traditional definitions of marriage between heterosexual couples have special benefit for children and for society. The defense's portion of the trial could be short. Only two of the defense's original set of expert witnesses remain, after four withdrew from the trial. Early in the trial, the court proposed broadcasting proceedings online and at other courthouses, leading some witnesses to say they feared retribution. The broadcast proposal was overturned by higher courts." Tweet