Michigan Trial On Gay Marriage Ban Enters Last Leg
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A judge is hearing final arguments in a challenge to Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage, which was approved by voters in 2004.
Detroit federal Judge Bernard Friedman won't be making a decision on Friday, but is expected to release a ruling in the days ahead.
The trial has been dominated by different views from scholars about the welfare of children raised by same-sex parents. Two Detroit-area women are trying to convince the judge that there's no "rational" basis under law for Michigan to ban same-sex marriage.
Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer of Hazel Park have been together for eight years. They're raising three adopted children who have special needs, but they can't jointly adopt each other's kids because they're not married. That could cause problems if one of the women dies.
The key issue for Friedman: Is there a rational public interest in restricting marriage to a man and a woman? The trial has been dominated by testimony from social scientists and other experts about research -- or a lack of research -- on children and same-sex households.
Click here to catch up on the trial.
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