The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court will meet behind closed doors Friday to decide whether to take up several cases that could lead to the legalization of gay marriage in all 50 states, Baptist Press reports. The public won't find out what the court decided for several days -- as early as Monday -- but Friday's meeting is significant enough that both sides in the cultural debate are guessing what will happen. According to Baptist Press, if the court takes up the cases, "it could end up being the Roe v. Wade of gay marriage." At issue are two laws: the federal law known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage in federal law as being between one man and one woman, and the California constitutional amendment known as Proposition 8, which was approved by voters in 2008 and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It is not known when during the current term the court would hear oral arguments in the cases, although if they take the cases, a decision likely would be handed down in the spring or early summer.
