Washington, USA – The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal seeking to overturn the landmark 2015 ruling
that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide (Obergefell v. Hodges).
The case was brought by Kim Davis, a former court clerk for Rowan County, Kentucky.
Which had refused in 2015 to issue marriage licenses based on its religious beliefs.
2015 ruling upheld after calls for review
Davis’s latest move has attracted widespread attention.
Especially after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade
ruling in 2022 regarding the right to abortion.
Judge Clarence Thomas had previously suggested the possibility
of reconsidering other decisions such as Obergefell v. Hodges.
However, no other member of the court shared this view.
Meanwhile, Justice Samuel Alito, who was a key voice in overturning Roe v. Wade,
stated that he does not intend to challenge the right of same-sex couples to marry.
By rejecting the appeal, the Supreme Court affirmed that the constitutional right
to same-sex marriage in the United States remains untouched.
Background of the legal dispute
The dispute dates back to 2015, when Kim Davis, backed by the conservative Liberty Council,
refused to issue any marriage licenses following the Obergefell ruling.
Her refusal led to her being jailed for six days on charges of contempt of court.
The couple, David Moore and David Irmold,
obtained marriage licenses after a period of rejection.
Later, the jury awarded the couple $100,000 in damages.
Davis was also ordered to pay $260,000
in legal fees.
Davis later appealed to the Federal Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit,
Arguing that her conduct was protected by the constitutional right to religious freedom,
before taking her case to the Supreme Court,
The student requested a review of the possibility of overturning the Obergefell v. Hodges verdict.
The Supreme Court’s decision has closed this door.
