Today, in a historic milestone for the marriage equality movement, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will hear oral argument for the first time on the constitutionality of whether gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled in February in Bostic v. Schaefer that laws prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying the in state are unconstitutional as they violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Top Headlines:

Federal Panel Appears Split Over Virginia’s Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
The New York Times

In sharp exchanges pitting the right of states to set marriage rules against equal protection for gay and lesbian couples, a three-judge federal appeals panel here heard arguments on Tuesday on the constitutionality of Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriages. More>

Appeals court appears split in Virginia same-sex marriage case
The Los Angeles Times

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., on Tuesday as a three-judge federal appellate panel heard arguments on the state’s same-sex marriage ban. The panel appeared divided over a lower court ruling that struck down Virginia’s constitutional amendment barring such unions. Voters approved the amendment in 2006. More>

Appeals court to hear arguments on Virginia ban on gay marriage
The Washington Post

A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments Tuesday about whether Virginia’s strict ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions violates the constitutional rights of the commonwealth’s estimated 14,000 gay couples. The review makes the 4th Circuit the second appeals court to consider whether state bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. More>

Today, a next step toward equality
The Charlotte Observer

Timothy Bostic has the kind of stable relationship that America could use more of: He has loved the same person for nearly 25 years. But because that person is named Tony, he cannot get married in his home state of Virginia. More>

Court to hear gay marriage ban arguments today
The Virginian-Pilot

The eyes of the nation will be on Virginia today when a federal appeals court hears oral arguments in a Norfolk case that seeks to overturn the state’s long-standing ban on same-sex marriage. More>

Federal Appeals Court In Richmond Skeptical Of Virginia’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban
BuzzFeed

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals looks likely to declare Virginia’s ban on marriages for same-sex couples unconstitutional, following the path set by trial judges all over the country. More>

Appeals Court Seems Likely to Strike Down Va. Marriage Ban
Advocate

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals looks likely to follow the precedent set by a dozen other federal and state trial courts in the past year and strike down Virginia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, according to those who attended today’s hearing in Richmond. More>

Appeals court hears gay marriage case today
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Supporters and opponents of Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban will be looking to Richmond today, where a federal appeals court will hear oral arguments in Bostic v. Rainey, a landmark case aimed at overturning the 2006 amendment to the state Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. More>

Bostic Ruling Could Boost Other States’ Marriage Fights
Metro Weekly

The heads of four state-level LGBT-rights organizations whose state marriage laws could potentially be affected by a ruling in the Virginia case of Bostic v. Schaefer, set to be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit over the next few days, held a conference call Monday morning in which they outlined how they are preparing to deal with a ruling that could overturn existing prohibitions on same-sex marriage. More>

Eyes on Virginia as gay marriage case advances in court
CBS Richmond

The American Foundation for Equal Rights legal team is led by Ted Olson and David Boies, who took California’s ban on same-sex marriage all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and many believe this case is headed there as well. They will argue the District Court’s decision ruling unconstitutional all laws prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying in the Commonwealth must be upheld. More>

Gay Marriage Foes Argue Against Tide to Revive Virginia’s Ban
Bloomberg Businessweek

Lawyers for two county clerks are set today to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond to reinstate the law in the face of 11 consecutive rulings in favor of same-sex marriage in state and federal courts. Their own attorney general, Democrat Mark Herring, refused to defend the law before it was ruled unconstitutional by a lower court judge in February. More>