The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in St. Louis, on Thursday scheduled oral arguments on Arkansas' federal same-sex marriage case for May 12 in Omaha, Neb.
The court already had said it would hear arguments during the week of May 11-15 in Omaha on the appeal of U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker's ruling that declared the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. It had said that at the same time, it would hear oral arguments on similar rulings by federal judges in Missouri and South Dakota, which are also in the 8th Circuit's jurisdiction.
On Thursday, the court published its calendar setting the specific date, and it included a fourth case -- a more recent, similar ruling by a federal judge in Nebraska.
The 8th Circuit has jurisdiction over federal district courts in seven states -- Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
The schedule also shows which three 8th Circuit judges will form the panel that hears the same-sex cases. They are Lavenski Smith of Little Rock; Roger Wollman of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Duane Benton of Kansas City, Mo.
All three judges are Republican appointees. Smith was appointed July 19, 2002, by President George W. Bush; Benton was appointed July 2, 2004, also by Bush; and Wollman was appointed July 22, 1985, by President Ronald Reagan.
Baker is an appointee of President Barack Obama and has been on the bench since 2012.
Baker's ruling, issued Nov. 25, has been stayed pending the appeal.
An appeal of a state-court ruling, in which Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza declared that the Arkansas bans violated both the state and U.S. constitutions, is still pending before the Arkansas Supreme Court. Piazza's ruling was issued May 9.
Metro on 04/10/2015