Litigation

Will Cameras Capture Prop. 8 Trial Closing Arguments?

By Peter Hardin

Is  a re-run ahead for a proposal to broadcast part of the same-sex marriage trial in California?

As the trial winds toward a close, the U.S. District Court in San Francisco has posted online a rules change that could permit telecasting of closing arguments, according to a San Francisco Chronicle article.

Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker, who is hearing the same-sex marriage case, tried a similar approach in January. But the U.S. Supreme Court intervened and slapped down the proposal, saying a five-day period for public comment was inadequate (see Gavel Grab.) This time, the public comment period began Feb. 4 and expires March 4.

The last testimony in the challenge to California’s ban on same-sex marriage–enacted after voters approved Proposition 8–was heard Jan. 27. The judge put off final arguments until after the filing of legal briefs, which were due Friday.

Full post as published by The Gavel on February 26, 2010 (boomark / email).