Legal Research

Same-Sex Marriage Trial Re-Enactment

By Simon Fodden

As everyone will doubtless know, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against permitting the District Court for the Northern District of California to broadcast on YouTube the challenge to California’s Proposition 8, as had been originally planned. That doesn’t mean that the screen’s gone blank, though. Cunningly, MarriageTrial.com is filming a re-enactment using transcripts from the actual trial (transcripts you can download so you can sing along!).

The MarriageTrial.com site currently offers you Episode 1 in 3 Chapters, essentially giving the opening statements of the various parties. As well there are a couple of summaries to bring you up to speed, and a marvellous cast of characters, with photos of the actual personnel and their actor doubles.

You may find you’ll want to watch this on YouTube, using the links on the MarriageTrial site, because the HD version is available there. Chapter 1 starts off, well, slow — but you’re in the biz, so you know all about slow — however, if you’re impatient to get past the judge’s opening about the rules and the issue of filming, go to minute 15 for the first witness.

For what it’s worth, I think this is a brilliant idea and something of a raspberry directed at SCOTUS. The acting is serious, the language authentic, and the setting completely believable.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on February 03, 2010 (boomark / email).