Oregon Marriage Ban Goes to Court Today, Without NOM's Defense
Opening arguments in the legal challenge to Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage will go on as scheduled today at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene, after the judge slated to hear those arguments declined to delay the trial to allow the National Organization for Marriage to intervene in defense of the law. At today's hearing, there will be no attorney arguing in favor of keeping the law.
U.S. District Judge Michael McShane, one of nine openly gay jurists on the federal bench, will hear opening arguments beginning at 1:30 p.m. today in Geiger v. Kitzhaber, a combination of two similar lawsuits filed by a total of three same-sex couples. Two Portland attorneys filed a federal suit last October on behalf of a lesbian couple who have been together for more than 30 years, and in December the American Civil Liberties Union filed a similar suit on behalf of a gay couple and a lesbian widow. Because of the similarities in the legal arguments advanced by each case, they have been consolidated into one challenge.
Although Judge McShane did not delay the trial to allow NOM to intervene for the defense, he did agree to consider NOM's petition at a separate hearing, scheduled for May 14. If the judge determines that NOM has legal standing in the case, he will reschedule opening arguments with NOM's attorneys defending the existing statute, reports pro-LGBT coalition Oregon United for Marriage.
http://www.advocate.com/politics/marriage-equality/2014/04/23/oregon-marriage-ban-goes-court-today-without-noms-defense