Same-Sex Marriage Showdown Before U.S. Supreme Court: Michigan Patch Poll

Demonstrators are showing support for and opposition to same-sex marriage as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee Tuesday. (Photo by Photo Phiend / Flickr)

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The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments this week on watershed same-sex marriage cases, setting the stage to potentially decide one of the most contentious civil rights issues of modern times for all 50 states.

Cases challenging gay marriage bans in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio have been consolidated for the historic hearing, which will be held from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Hazel Park nurses April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, who have four adopted children between them, brought the Michigan case. They said the state’s ban on same-sex marriage prevents them from jointly adopting their children

More About This on Patch:

• U.S. Supreme Court Will Finally Decide Gay Marriage in 50 States
• Judge Rules Michigan Must Recognize 300 Same-Sex Marriages

The justices won’t focus on the moral arguments surrounding same-sex marriage, but will answer two questions: whether states can ban same-sex marriage; and whether states have the power to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where they are legal.

The audio recording and a written transcript of Tuesday’s hearing will be released soon after the hearing is completed, likely no later than 2 p.m. that day. Normally, audiotapes of court proceedings aren’t released until the end of the week.

The records will be accessible at www.supremecourt.gov.

Now, take our poll and tell us in the comments what you think the court should do.