The U.S. Supreme Court hearing about California's gay marriage law will include in the audience Jean Podrasky, a first-cousin of Chief Justice John Roberts and a lesbian who wants to marry her partner, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.
The gay marriage law hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. The Times reported that Podrasky is an accountant in San Francisco and a first-cousin from the mother's side of the chief justice's family. She will be in seating reserved for family of Roberts, the Times reported.
The Times said that Podrasky and Roberts usually see each other at family events, and the conservative chief justice's mother is also Podrasky's godmother.
"He is a smart man," Podrasky told the Times. "He is a good man. I believe he sees where the tide is going. I do trust him. I absolutely trust that he will go in a good direction."
In 2011, a reporter with Fortune tried to ask Podrasky if she talked about the issue of gay marriage with her cousin.
"I really would never disrespect him by asking him about his cases," Podrasky told the reporter.
Known as Proposition 8, California's gay marriage law passed in November 2008. It says that the state can only recognize as legal marriages between men and women. The law overturned a ruling by the California Supreme Court that had said same-sex couples did have the right to get married in the state.
Will the ban be overturned? How Roberts votes could be key in if Prop 8 falls or is upheld. Lawyers and activists told the Times that they believe there is a good chance the court will rule in favor of gay marriage.
"We think the time is right," Los Angeles lawyer Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., told the Times. "Everything seems to be breaking in favor of marriage equality."
