A cautious and conflicted Supreme Court on Tuesday took up for the first time a detailed examination of same-sex marriage, and wondered openly about whether it was time for the court to render a judgment.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, considered to be the pivotal vote on the issue, said the court was in “uncharted waters.” He questioned whether it should have accepted the case, which concerns California’s constitutional amendment, approved by voters, that restricts marriage to heterosexual couples.