Lines Began Overnight for Same-Sex Marriage Rulings
For more than two weeks, gay rights advocates have stood at the steps of the United States Supreme Court waiting to hear decisions from the justices about two cases that will affect millions of gays and lesbians across the nation. With each day that passed without a ruling, they left disappointed.
But Wednesday marks the last day the court will convene for this term, and decisions are expected to be handed down for both the Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, which denies federal benefits to gay and lesbian married couples, and Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in California.
Dozens of people made their way to the court building on Tuesday night, beginning around 7:30 p.m., to sit in line in order to be admitted inside on Wednesday morning to hear the decisions. The early crowd seemed to be predominantly gay rights activists.
By 7 a.m. the line stretched down the front steps and wrapped around the corner. People stood up to start walking into the building at about 7:15 a.m., and court officials started handing out tickets to enter.