Supreme Court Delivers Historic Ruling in Favor of Marriage Equality
|

Supreme Court Delivers Historic Ruling in Favor of Marriage Equality

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued a historic 5-4 ruling that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, sparking instant celebration and declarations of triumph, as well as reminders from many in the LGBTQ community that the road to freedom is long, and this issue is just “the tip of the iceberg.” Friday’s…

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Gay Marriage Case
| |

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Gay Marriage Case

Following the conclusion of oral arguments in Tuesday’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court hearing, advocates displayed cautious optimism that after years of legal wrangling, the U.S. legal system may finally support full marriage equality. “The case for the freedom to marry shone through at every turn in the argument, undimmed and undeniable,” said Freedom to Marry…

Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill Permits Legal Entities to Sue for Damages
| |

Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill Permits Legal Entities to Sue for Damages

Indiana’s legislature is currently considering a number of so-called “religious freedom” bills that have arose in the months since the state was forced to begin recognizing same-sex marriages. Senate Bill 568 prohibits the state or local governments from passing laws that “compel a person to take an action that is contrary to the person’s exercise…

Supreme Court Clears Way for Marriage Equality in Alabama as State Judges Defy Court Order
| |

Supreme Court Clears Way for Marriage Equality in Alabama as State Judges Defy Court Order

The US Supreme Court has declined to issue a stay of a federal court ruling that Alabama’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional, clearing the way for marriage equality in the state and possibly signaling their intent ahead of an expected June ruling that could legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Judge Ginny Granade, an…

US Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Gay Marriage Case
| |

US Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Gay Marriage Case

The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a consolidated set of same-sex marriage cases that could settle the issue once and for all in the United States. According to the Huffington Post: Meeting behind closed doors on Friday, the nine justices decided to review a 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for…

2014: The Year of Marriage Equality
| | |

2014: The Year of Marriage Equality

2014 will go down in history as the year of marriage equality. Same-sex marriage bans have fallen like dominoes across the United States since the Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. Lower courts have used the rationale in the Windsor v. United States ruling to throw out marriage…

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Gay Marriage Ban in Four States
|

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Gay Marriage Ban in Four States

A federal appeals court has ruled that the gay marriage bans in four states are constitutional. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed rulings from lower courts that had legalized gay marriage in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. It is the first time since the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act that…

Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop Criticizes Notre Dame Benefits Policy for Gay Spouses
|

Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop Criticizes Notre Dame Benefits Policy for Gay Spouses

Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop Kevin Rhoades writes in an online Catholic publication that Notre Dame was hasty in its decision to extend employee benefits to same-sex spouses. Two federal courts ruled Indiana’s gay marriage ban earlier this year. The Supreme Court effectively legalized marriage equality in Indiana last week. “Notre Dame believes that the law…

| | |

Supreme Court Clears Way for Marriage Equality in 30 States, Including Indiana

The United States Supreme Court declined appeals of same-sex marriage cases on Monday, paving the way for marriage equality in five states and boosting the chances in six others. Lower courts stuck down gay marriage bans in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin as unconstitutional. Appeals Courts — the second highest courts in the judicial…

| | |

Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage Cases May Take Weeks

The Supreme Court on Thursday released a partial list of cases that it will hear in its upcoming term. The same-sex marriage cases pending across the US, including ones from Indiana and Wisconsin, were not on the list. This does not mean that the petitions for appeal have been denied but rather that the Supreme…