Adam GanucheauThe Clarion-Ledger

Mississippi is the national battleground for LGBT equality this week as a federal court will hear a lawsuit today challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage and the nation's largest LGBT advocacy organization has launched an equality campaign in the state.

Plaintiffs in the federal case are two Mississippi same-sex couples: Rebecca Bickett and Andrea Sanders, who are challenging the state's outright ban on gay marriage, and Carla Webb and Jocelyn Pritchett, who are seeking state recognition for their existing legal marriage performed in Maine. On behalf of the couples, the LGBT-advocating organization Campaign for Southern Equality filed the lawsuit against Gov. Phil Bryant, state Attorney General Jim Hood and Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn.

The plaintiffs are being represented by attorney Roberta Kaplan, a New York-based attorney best known for her work as lead counsel in United States v. Windsor, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down parts of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Kaplan, who lost a gay marriage case in New York's highest court in 2006, said she immediately knew she wanted to take the Mississippi case after speaking with the couples about the problems they face regularly in Mississippi.

"Everyone in this country has a right to equality and due process, and that's what this case is about," Kaplan said. "These couples want to be treated just as everyone else in Mississippi is treated."

According to sources familiar with the case, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves could possibly make an immediate oral ruling Wednesday, but he could take as long as two weeks to issue a decision. In today's hearing, Reeves will hear arguments from the plaintiffs' and defendants' attorneys. There will be no witness testimony.

Regardless of Reeves' decision, the losing side likely will appeal the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, which also hears appeals from Texas and Louisiana. The 5th Circuit already has scheduled appeals the week of Jan. 5 for those states after a U.S. District Court struck down Texas' ban on same-sex marriage in February while a federal judge in Louisiana upheld that state's ban in September.

Coinciding with today's hearing, national civil rights organization Human Rights Campaign launched a faith-based initiative Monday seeking to raise awareness of LGBT issues in Mississippi. The "All God's Children" campaign is focusing on Christianity to spread its initiative to Mississippians through statewide television advertisements, outdoor billboards, online advertisements and person-to-person engagement — all of which began Monday.

Same-sex unions are legal in 32 states. While similar federal district court cases and federal appellate cases have generally yielded victory for same-sex couples across the country, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld same-sex marriage bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee last week.

Mississippi will join the long list of states that have challenged same-sex bans, including others in the Southeast. Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota are now the only states which have not begun federal hearings on the issue.

Many analysts believe there are numerous legal and social implications the case can have on the state, including the way its own citizens feel about the LGBT community and national perceptions of a state with a history of discrimination and hate toward minorities.

"On a local, personal level, because of an increase in openly gay Mississippians over the past few years, proponents of gay marriage are now having to think about this more in terms of how it affects those openly gay people they know and love," said Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law. "On a national level, this case could change the way Americans view the state of Mississippi as a whole."

According to 2010 census statistics compiled by the California-based Williams Institute, there are 3,484 same-sex couples Mississippi. The state ranks 48th in the country with just 3.1 couples per 1,000 households. While the state's number of same-sex couples ranks near the bottom, LGBT supporters in Mississippi still believe that change is necessary.

"Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a longstanding and underlying problem Mississippians have been dealing with for years," said Robert McDuff, a Jackson-based attorney who is working alongside Kaplan on the couples' legal counsel.

Since the lawsuit was filed Oct. 20, some religious and political leaders across the state have expressed discontent with both the case and the HRC campaign. A spokesperson for the Mississippi-based American Family Association said last week that multiple biblical principles would be violated if the same-sex ban in Mississippi were struck down, and a Mississippi Baptist Convention spokesperson called the HRC campaign a waste of money.

Bryant, a Republican who in April signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was widely criticized by LGBT advocates, submitted court papers Monday night asking Reeves to uphold the state's ban because the 5th Circuit has never labeled gays and lesbians as a group with civil rights protection.

In response to Bryant's statement, Kaplan expressed confidence Tuesday that her side's arguments would prevail in today's hearing, citing previous federal court decisions.

Johnson said he believes the case's impact on Mississippi will be visible regardless of the outcome.

"Mississippi has often been on the wrong side of history on similar issues, and there's a real chance that supporters of gay equality will change that this week," Johnson said. "Regardless of the outcome, we are seeing that this isn't a matter of 'if' anymore; it's a matter of 'when.' "

Contact Adam Ganucheau at aganucheau@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7303. Follow @GanucheauAdam on Twitter.

Main players

Plaintiffs:

Campaign for Southern Equality,

the organization sponsoring the lawsuit

Andrea Sanders and Rebecca Bickett, who are challenging the state's outright ban on gay marriage

Jocelyn Pritchett and Carla Webb, who are seeking state recognition for their existing out-of-state marriage

Roberta Kaplan, New York-based attorney who is best known as lead counsel in United States v. Windsor

Robert McDuff, Jackson-based attorney assisting Kaplan

Defendants:

Miss. Gov. Phil Bryant

Miss. Gov. Jim Hood

Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn

Judge:

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves

What's on the line:

U.S. federal district court either strikes down Mississippi's gay marriage ban or upholds it

When it's happening:

Could happen anytime between Wednesday or two weeks from then

What it means for Mississippi:

Could be 31st state to legalize same-sex marriage or 6th state to uphold the same-sex marriage ban in federal court

What's next:

Losing side will likely appeal to U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, which has already scheduled an appeals hearing from Louisiana and Texas (LA district judge upheld state's ban on gay marriage, TX district judge struck down ban on gay marriage)