SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A gay rights group is asking a federal appeals court to speed up its timeline for considering whether a judge was right to strike down the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

The government is appealing a San Diego-based judge’s ruling in August that the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay service members is unconstitutional.

Courts have allowed the policy to remain in effect during the appeals process.

On Friday, Log Cabin Republicans filed a motion with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an expedited schedule. It would put the case on track for oral arguments in April.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration is pushing the Senate to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” on its own next month.

(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)