Judges Listen to Lawyers Clash Over Gay Marriage Ban in Texas
Lawyers clashed Friday over whether marriage laws in Texas and two nearby states encourage childbirth or just discriminate against gays and lesbians.
Arguments before a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ranged widely, touching on sex, fertility, free lunches and the proper role for judges. But the states — Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi — appear to be swimming against a legal tide that could overwhelm their laws barring same-sex unions.
The session was part of a nationwide rush for the Supreme Court to say finally whether states can ban gay marriage. Although Supreme Court justices met privately Friday, they didn’t disclose whether they will hear one or more cases from five states, though they could tip their hand by the end of the month.
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