N.Y. Marriage Case On Fast Track

The City of New York is planning on appealing last week's ruling striking down the ban on same-sex marriage directly to New York State's highest court, the seven-member Court of Appeals:

These seven people will make the decision about whether marriage discrimination based on gender will be ended in New York State. Four members have been appointed by Republican governor George Pataki, three have been appointed by former Democratic governor Mario Cuomo. The key vote is apparently Judge Albert Rosenblatt, a Harvard Law School graduate appointed by Pataki in 1998 (last row on the right). He is widely viewed as "very intellectual and moderately conservative" who could vote "either way."