Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. US Judge Overturns California Gay Marriage Ban VOA News 04 August 2010 A U.S. federal judge has struck down California's ban on same-sex marriage. Judge Vaughn Walker's long-awaited decision Wednesday comes nearly two years after voters in the state approved a controversial measure known as Proposition 8, which defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman.  California voters narrowly approved Proposition 8 in November 2008, months after the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages. Gay rights advocates sought to overturn the ban, saying it violated the U.S. Constitution's provision on equal protection under the law. Legal experts have said the California case could lead to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on whether it is constitutional to treat same-sex unions differently from those between a man and a woman. Appeals are expected. The court case, known as Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, was brought by two same-sex couples barred from marrying because of Proposition 8. Gay marriage laws have been approved in five states - Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont - as well as the District of Columbia.  Some information for this report provided by AFP. .