Scrambling for seat to hear same sex marriage case

Bloomberg News

WASHINGTON -- For Jason Wonacott, the chance to witness a milestone in the fight for same-sex marriage is worth four nights sleeping on concrete in the rain and snow.

Wonacott, 25, has been in line since Friday on the plaza in front of the Supreme Court, seeking a ticket to see the justices hear arguments Tuesday in a case that may determine whether same-sex couples have the right to marry.

"It's just such an important and historic case that affects me personally because I'm gay and I'd like to get married one day," Wonacott said. "It seemed like it was a bold and kind of crazy thing to do to show how important this is to me and how historic it's going to be."

Wonacott is one of about 75 would-be spectators on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue who endured a spring snowstorm to secure their places in line for a limited number of Supreme Court seats.

The nation's high court is set to consider same-sex marriage for the first time, taking up arguments on Proposition 8, a 2008 California ballot measure passed by voters that bars such unions. Wednesday, the court will weigh the legality of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents the federal government from recognizing gay unions on issues including benefits.

The court will decide the cases by June.

Seats are at a premium because there aren't that many. The courtroom seats about 500 people, but seats are reserved for court staff, journalists and guests of the justices and lawyers arguing the case. After those people are seated, there will be about 100 seats Tuesday for lawyers who are members of the Supreme Court bar and at least 60 seats for the public. An additional 30 seats for the public will rotate every three to five minutes. Tickets for all those seats are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

Not everyone intent on witnessing the arguments was braving the cold.

Mark Jansson, 68, of Elk Grove, Calif., hired line-sitters to hold three spots in the spectator line. Jansson, a volunteer for Protect Marriage, a group that opposes same-sex marriage, declined to disclose how much he was paying his placeholders.

"We've gotten some great kids to help us out here," he said of the women sitting in lawn chairs, shielded by a tarp that protected them from the snowflakes. "We believe that marriage is ordained of God. We're very concerned what could happen on Tuesday with the Supreme Court, but we're excited as well." With AP