California high court will hear same-sex marriage appeal

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) - California's Supreme Court said
Wednesday that it will hear the appeal of a challenge to a voter-approved
measure outlawing same-sex marriage.

In a written statement, the court said it will not block the
implementation or enforcement of the law in the meantime.Proposition 8 passed with about 52.5 percent of the vote, making
California one of several states to ban same-sex marriage in the November 4
elections. But unlike others, California had been issuing marriage licenses to
same-sex couples since a May 15 ruling by the state Supreme Court legalized the
unions.

Three groups - the American Civil Liberties Union, gay-rights group
Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights - filed legal
challenges to the vote, asking the high court to rule the ballot-initiative
process was "improperly used" to strip away a right protected by the state
constitution.

The court said arguments in the case could be heard as early as March.