Bostic v. Rainey – the Ted Olson and David Boies-backed challenge to Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage is set to be heard before a three-judge panel of the 4^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this Tuesday.

The AP looks at what might happen in the case before the court:

A three-judge panel randomly selected from the 16-member appeals court will hear arguments from lawyers for both sides. The Richmond-based 4th Circuit, once widely considered the most conservative appeals court in the country, has become more moderate with the addition of five appointees by President Barack Obama. Lawyers typically face what they call a "hot bench," which means the judges ask a lot of questions. The court usually issues its rulings several weeks, or even months, after hearing arguments.

Last month, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring [pictured right] filed a brief supporting the plaintiffs in the case, a move that has drawn criticism from conservatives in the state. The job of defending the law during verbal arguments is now with the legal team of Norfolk’s Circuit Court clerk George E. Schaefer III – the clerk who originally denied Timothy Bostic and Tony London their marriage license.