In a major victory for backers of San Diego’s Mt. Soledad cross, an appeals court ruled today in favor of a voter measure that authorized transfer of the land beneath the memorial to the federal government.

A panel of justices from the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled 3-0 that Proposition A was constitutional, overturning a decision by Superior Court Judge Patricia Yim Cowett that invalidated the measure. The court also reversed a $275,000 attorney fee award received by an ACLU-backed lawyer for plaintiff Phillip Paulsen, an atheist who died last month.

“We are quite pleased with the court’s decision,” said Charles LiMandri, the West Coast Regional Director for the Thomas More Law Center, which argued the case. “It protects the will of the people and their desire to preserve a historical, veterans memorial for future generations.”