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A federal judge could rule as soon as Thursday in the case, which comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is also set to deal with gay marriage later this month. In Michigan, a lesbian couple sued because the state bans same-sex couples from adopting kids. Then, the judge invited them to go even further.

The case before the court tests the constitutionality of a California referendum, narrowly passed by voters in 2008, that reinstituted a ban on gay marriage. The U.S. is calling on the court to declare the California law unconstitutional, a violation of the principle of equal protection.

The Obama administration filed a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. But the brief does not call for abolition of bans on same-sex marriage across the country. Nina Totenberg talks to Audie Cornish.

In an amicus brief, the administration stops short of saying that laws across the country should be struck down.

The Obama administration is set to file a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. Nina Totenberg talks to Audie Cornish.

Google, Apple, Facebook and other big names are wading into the same-sex-marriage debate, which will come before the Supreme Court next month. They argue the federal government's ban on recognizing gay unions causes "unnecessary cost and administrative complexity."

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced on Monday that the military will extend some benefits to same-sex partners. But the list of 22 items could…

Support for gay marriage is growing, and the Supreme Court is set to take on the issue this spring. But while some in the gay community say equal rights are in sight, issues like employment discrimination can still dominate on the ground.

By the end of this month, the federal government is expected to file briefs in a pair of same-sex marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. One case poses questions so difficult that the president himself is expected to make the final decision on what arguments the Justice Department will make.

While a tough fight is almost certain in the House of Lords, the bill is expected to become law because it has the support of Prime Minister David Cameron.