On Friday, January 16, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in four same-sex marriage cases. The court’s decision to hear these cases is historic – soon, all Americans will have the right to marry and divorce, or they will not.
Specifically, the court agreed to consider whether states have the constitutional power to ban same-sex marriage, and whether the Constitution compels states to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. The first issue addresses equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, while the second issue addresses full faith and credit (e.g., states must recognize marriages legally performed in other states).
Circuit Split on Same-Sex Marriage