With oral arguments coming up next month, an interesting "friend of the court" brief arrives:

Dozens of prominent Republicans — including top advisers to former President George W. Bush, four former governors and two members of Congress — have signed a legal brief arguing that gay people have a constitutional right to marry, a position that amounts to a direct challenge to Speaker John A. Boehner and reflects the civil war in the party since the November election.

Normally these briefs don't matter that much. But the publisher of Scotusblog tells the New York Times that this one “has the potential to break through and make a real difference.”