Supreme Court to hear from thousands on gay marriage

Richard Wolf | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON —The Supreme Court is going to hear from a lot of people on same-sex marriage.

In an effort to win the hearts and minds of five or more justices, opponents of gay marriage bans being challenged at the high court this spring are inviting average citizens to sign a "friend of the court" brief that will be filed in early March.

The first name on the brief will be that of Edie Windsor, who won her lawsuit in 2013 when the high court struck down a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act that had denied federal benefits to legally married gays and lesbians. Her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, wrote the brief in conjunction with the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.

Americans interested in signing the so-called "amicus" brief can go to HRC.org and add their names. The brief must be filed with the court by March 6.

"The word 'amicus' comes from the Latin for 'friend,'" Kaplan said. "I hope that this brief will serve that function in helping to explain to the justices the remarkable sea change that our nation has experienced in terms of our understandings about gay people."

Dozens of briefs are certain to be filed before the case is heard in late April. A decision is expected by late June.