ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF AUTHORIT IES ............... .................. ................ ................. ............. iii-vi INTRODUC TION ................. ................. ................. ................. ................. ............... 1 REASONS FOR GRANTING REHEARING EN BANC ........................................ 5 1. The exceptional im portance of the constituti onal issues im plicated in a right to genderless marriage calls for en banc review ................. ................. ................ ..... 5 2.

The Decision does not honestly engage the defense of Nevada’s

marriage laws ................. ................. ................. ................. ................. .................. . 7 3.

The Decision’s treatment of

SmithKline

creates significant conflicts

within this Circuit’s jurisprudence

,

between this C ircuit’s jur isprudence

and that of the Supreme Court and nearly all other Circuits ................ ................ 8 4. The appearance i s strong and inescapable that the assignm ent of this case to this three-judge panel was not done through a neutral process but ra ther was done in or der to influence t he outcome in favor of the plaintiffs.

................ ................. ................ .................. ................. ....... 9

a.

The Ninth Circuit’s public commitment to a neutral process to match

judges and cas es.

............... ................. ................. .................. ................ ..... 9

b. The appearance of departure from a neutral pr ocess

................ .............. 11

c. The appear ance of favo ring one s ide

................ .................. ................. ..... 12

d. This Circu

it’s need to reme

dy the appearance of unfairness

................ ... 13 CONCLUS ION ................ ................. ................. .................. ................. ................. .. 15

Case: 12-17668 10/13/2014 ID: 9274670 DktEntry: 274-1 Page: 2 of 22