Ruling near on California same-sex marriage ban

Aug. 12, 2010: Billy Bradford of Castro Valley, Calif., waves a pair of flags outside City Hall while same-sex couple line up to see if they can be married in San Francisco. A federal appeals court is ready to announce its ruling on whether California's same-sex marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians. (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal appeals court is ready to announce its ruling on whether California's same-sex marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday a three-judge panel plans to publish its long-awaited opinion on Tuesday.

The panel heard oral arguments more than a year ago but delayed a decision while it sought guidance from the California Supreme Court on whether sponsors of the ban, known as Proposition 8, had legal authority to challenge a trial judge's ruling that the voter-approved measure was unconstitutional.

Even if the 9th Circuit upholds the lower court, same-sex marriages are unlikely to resume in California any time soon. Both supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 have said they would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if they lose in the intermediate court.