California High Court Agrees to hear Prop 8 Legal Challenges

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- California's highest court agreed today to hear legal challenges to the state's new same-sex marriage ban.

The California Supreme Court accepted three lawsuits seeking to overturn Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment which passed with 52 percent of the vote. The court did not elaborate on its decision.

All three cases claim Proposition 8 abridges the civil rights of a vulnerable minority group and therefore voters alone did not have the authority to enact such a significant constitutional change.

A court spokeswoman says oral arguments in the case could come as early as March.

The high court refused to allow gay couples to resume marrying until it rules on the measure's validity.

No suprise here