J-Term: 1/10 (T); 1/11 (W); 1/17 (T); 1/18 (W) & 1/19 (Th) This course will examine the legal issues surrounding same-sex marriage in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown), a case challenging California’s ban on same-sex marriage on federal constitutional grounds. This case, which many think will go to the U.S. Supreme Court, has been widely compared to the 1925 Scopes trial because of the unusual breadth of the issues it addresses. The twelve-day trial transcript reveals a “battle of the experts” over the historical purposes of marriage, the effect of same-sex marriages on children, the degree of political power held by the LGB community, the control individuals have over their sexual orientation, and so forth. The course will explore the substantive issues raised by same-sex marriage, and will also consider the efficacy of the trial as a truth-finding mechanism with respect to such social issues. The instructor is currently writing a book on this subject; the readings for the course will include draft chapters of the manuscript.