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The State of Michigan’s highly anticipated gay marriage trial began late February in Detroit, where a Federal judge will hear the pros and cons of raising children in same-sex families and rule on the definition of marriage in Michigan. Updates will be posted as they become available.

Michigan's Gay Marriage Trial In the Hands of the Judge

     
 Closing arguments have ended in a challenge to Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage, which was approved by voters in 2004.

     Detroit federal Judge Bernard Friedman says Friday he expects to make a decision within two weeks.

     The trial was dominated by different views from scholars about the welfare of children raised by same-sex parents. Two Detroit-area women are trying to convince the judge that there's no "rational" basis under law for Michigan to ban same-sex marriage.

     Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer of Hazel Park have been together for eight years. They're raising three adopted children who have special needs, but they can't jointly adopt each other's kids because they're not married. That could cause problems if one of the women dies.