State justices seem to favor allowing proponents to defend Prop. 8

The California Supreme Court appeared inclined Tuesday to give sponsors of ballot initiatives the right to defend them in court, a key issue in the federal dispute over Proposition 8.

During an hour of arguments, several state high court justices suggested the initiative system would be rendered meaningless if there was no one to defend ballot measures from court challenges.

This would be a victory for proponents of Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage, because it allows them to appeal last year’s ruling overturning the ballot measure. L.A. NOW