WASHINGTON (AP) — In a decisive move, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday announced its refusal to overturn the landmark 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. This decision comes in response to an appeal from Kim Davis, the former county clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, who garnered national attention for her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
Davis sought to have the Supreme Court overturn a lower-court ruling that mandated she pay $360,000 in damages to a couple she denied a marriage license. Her attorneys had repeatedly cited Justice Clarence Thomas's criticism of the same-sex marriage ruling in their arguments, although the Supreme Court remains firm in its stance.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who joined the Court post-Obergefell, has indicated that while some decisions may be reconsidered, same-sex marriage could be reconsidered due to its impactful role in people's lives, contrasting it with the recent abortion ruling. Meanwhile, Justice Thomas remains the only dissenter from the ruling affirming same-sex marriage.
The Human Rights Campaign expressed appreciation for the Court's decision, emphasizing that the constitutional rights of individuals cannot be disregarded without accountability. Davis previously defied court orders and was jailed for her actions, and despite her subsequent release, the impacts of her decisions continue to resonate.
President Kelley Robinson from the Human Rights Campaign noted that the Court's resolution not to intervene reaffirms respect for the rights of same-sex couples. Davis's actions in 2015 sparked widespread protest and legal precedence, yet her political career suffered a setback when she lost her bid for reelection in 2018.
As debates over LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality evolve, this ruling by the Supreme Court solidifies the established legal framework surrounding same-sex marriage, emphasizing the importance of constitutional protections.
