Judge refuses to quit Prop 8 case

SAN FRANCISCO The group had asked Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to remove himself from the three-judge panel considering the appeal next week.

The backers question Reinhardt's impartiality because he is married to lawyer Ramona Ripston, who heads the American Civil Liberties Union's Southern California office. The ACLU is an outspoken opponent of Proposition 8.

Reinhardt refused to recuse himself from the panel, saying he would impartially decide the case.

With that, supporters of Proposition 8 said they would accept the judge's decision.