Michigan: Federal judge to hear marriage equality ban challenge

From NBC:

A federal judge said Wednesday that a lawsuit filed by a lesbian couple seeking the right to wed in Michigan will go to trial early next year in a long-awaited legal challenge to the state’s same-sex marriage ban.

U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman said the trial will begin Feb. 25. He said he wanted to hear if experts believed the state had a legitimate interest in prohibiting same-sex marriage, according to NBC affiliate, WDIV-Detroit.

At least 11 county clerks offices had been poised to issue licenses to gay couples if Friedman had ruled in favor of overturning the same-sex marriage ban, according to LGBT advocacy group Equality Michigan.