U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Ruling Rejecting Overturn Bid
The U.S. Supreme Court has recently upheld its historic ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, affirming the legal status established in 2015. This decision came as the court declined to take up an appeal from Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk, who sought to overturn the landmark ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Background of the Case
Kim Davis became embroiled in controversy following the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. This ruling affirmed that the Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law prohibit states from banning same-sex marriages. After this ruling, Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, claiming that such actions conflicted with her Apostolic Christian beliefs.
Legal Proceedings
Davis faced legal consequences for her refusal, resulting in a civil rights lawsuit from two gay men, David Ermold and David Moore. In 2022, a jury awarded them $100,000 in damages after finding that Davis violated their constitutional rights. Davis was also ordered to pay over $260,000 in legal fees. Her defense claimed that her First Amendment right to religious freedom protected her from liability, but the district and appellate courts rejected this argument.
Supreme Court’s Rejection of Appeal
- The Supreme Court maintains a 6-3 conservative majority.
- Davis’s appeal was rejected without being fully reviewed by the court.
By upholding the Obergefell ruling, the Supreme Court avoided revisiting a contentious issue that had seen its conservative majority overturn abortion rights in Roe v. Wade in 2022. Four conservative justices dissented from the original Obergefell decision, three of whom remain on the bench today.
Public Opinion
Support for same-sex marriage among Republicans now stands at 41%, a significant drop since the ruling was made, while 88% of Democrats support it. This divide marks the largest gap between the two parties on this issue since tracking began.
Implications of the Ruling
Had the Supreme Court chosen to overturn the Obergefell decision, individual states could have reinstated bans on same-sex marriage. Observers note that overturning Obergefell would not only diminish progress for LGBTQ rights but also rekindle debates surrounding civil liberties.
The rejection of Davis’s appeal serves as a reaffirmation of the court’s earlier ruling and highlights the ongoing legal and societal discourse surrounding same-sex marriage and religious freedoms in the United States.
