With the debate over California's Prop 8 reaching a boiling point which way will the Supreme Court sway under the pressure of the constitution and public opinion?

Will public opinion polls sway the Supreme Court as it considers two cases related to same-sex marriage? Lyle Denniston looks at how the court has discussed the idea of political pressures in the past.

The statement at issue:

“Every action that demonstrates that our culture is changing, and that the nation is ready for legalized gay marriage, could influence the Supreme Court in its upcoming hearings. Most legal observers believe the justices won’t want to get too far ahead of public opinion when they rule on the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8.”

Greg Sargent, Washington Post columnist, in an op-ed article on March 19 commenting on a new Post-ABC poll showing that public support for same-sex marriage had reached a record high, 58 percent to 36 percent.

Will the Supreme Court sway to the pressure of public opinion polls? Read more at Yahoo! News