Wayne State University Law School is honored to be the site of a federal hearing this morning on the legality of Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage and the right of unmarried couples to adopt children.

At issue is the legality of the Michigan Marriage Amendment to the state Constitution banning same-sex marriage and the state code that prohibits unmarried couples from second-parent adoption. The lesbian couple that brought the complaint claims the law is a violation of their civil rights, and their lawsuit asks U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman to block its enforcement.

Professor Peter Hammer, director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne Law, will be available to talk about civil rights and this issue.

"As President Obama made clear in his State of the Union address, basic civil rights for gay and lesbian citizens are a core part of America’s promise,” Hammer says. “The right to marry the person you love and the right to adopt children to create a complete family should not be controversial.  These are basic parts of what it means to be an equal citizen in this country."

The arguments will be heard during the Law School’s annual “Motion Day,” during which Judge Friedman will hear several motions beginning at 9 a.m. today in the Spencer Partrich Auditorium. Motion Day provides an opportunity for students to spend a day in federal court without leaving the Law School. Experienced counsel will argue actual pretrial motions before Judge Friedman, who will then rule or take the matters under advisement. Students are able to observe a variety of oral argument styles, as well as the procedures of the federal district court.

“We are honored that this historic case will be heard at Wayne Law,” says Jocelyn Benson, dean of the Law School. “This is a case that goes to the core of today’s civil rights issues, and it is a meaningful and unique opportunity for our students to witness the proceedings of federal court. This is experiential learning at its best.”