U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Prop. 8 case in March

By: Bay City News 01/07/13 8:37 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will hear arguments March 26 on the constitutionality of California’s 2008 voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.Sponsors of Proposition 8 and their committee, Protect Marriage, are appealing a ruling made last year in which the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the initiative. Read More

Supreme Court’s review of Prop. 8 inspires hope, fears

By: By Mark Sherman 12/09/12 7:19 PM

Gay marriage supporters see 41 reasons to fret over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to take up the case of California’s ban on same-sex unions.While nine states allow same-sex partners to marry, or will soon, 41 states do not. Of those, 30 have written gay marriage bans into their state constitutions. Read More

High Court to review Proposition 8 and Defense of Marriage Act

By: Wire report 12/07/12 3:04 PM

The bitter rivals in California's gay marriage debate were in complete agreement Friday: The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to take up the state's gay marriage ban was a good thing. Of course, each side is now hoping for a diametrically opposite ruling. Read More

David Campos’ screwy logic is laid bare by Sean Elsbernd

By: Melissa Griffin 11/28/12 6:45 PM

Last week, Supervisor David Campos voted against limiting nudity and in favor of spending $1.6 million to fund the first five months of a pilot program giving free Muni passes to low-income youths. When debating the Muni vote, Campos said that choosing between paying for maintenance on Muni and the free passes is a “false choice.” In response, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd launched one of his signature rants: Read More

Supreme Court could make holidays merrier for gay couples with the gift of marriage

By: Melissa Griffin 11/28/12 6:42 PM

Same-sex couples in California might get an early Christmas present next week — and retailers an unexpected boost in sales — if the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to review the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry. Read More

Ross Mirkarimi recall would make most sense next November

By: Melissa Griffin 11/28/12 6:38 PM

I’m enjoying party season in San Francisco, except for the fact that I’m asked routinely about whether Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is going to be the subject of a recall. Honestly, I don’t know. Read More

Court should affirm same-sex marriage on the national level

By: SF Examiner Editorial 11/20/12 8:05 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide soon whether the justices will take up two key cases about same-sex marriage. If the court declines to hear the cases, lower court rulings will stand, and they are favorable to same-sex couples. But that is not enough. Read More

Gay couples anxiously await High Court decision on Prop 8

By: Dan Schreiber 11/19/12 9:45 PM

Wedding bells could be ringing for same-sex couples in San Francisco and across California as soon as the holidays, depending on how the U.S. Supreme Court responds to an appeals case for the state’s gay marriage ban later this month. Read More

Despite voters’ renewed support for death penalty, no California inmates are close to execution

By: Paul Elias 11/18/12 7:57 PM

This year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Robert Fairbank’s appeal of his death sentence for the 1985 rape and murder of college student Wendy Cheek. With that rejection, Fairbank joined at least 13 other death row inmates who have completed the decadeslong capital punishment appeals process and are eligible for execution. Read More

Prop G would decry corporate money in politics

By: Joshua Sabatini 10/04/12 8:59 PM

In Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment to the Constitution allows corporations, much like individuals, to make independent political expenditures without restriction. The ruling helped spawn a new wave of so-called super PACs that are dominating political spending in the 2012 presidential campaign. Read More