Same-Sex Marriage At The Supreme Court: Is Today The Day?

The Supreme Court could hand down its ruling on same-sex marriage today, or very soon. 

Since the nine Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges, the lead same-sex marriage case among four that will decide the future of equality, court watchers have been anxiously awaiting the ruling. 

The Supreme Court could release its decision today. 

Jim Obergefell, the Ohio man who lost his husband, John Arthur, and is suing to have his name listed on his husband’s death certificate, right now is one of many standing outside the court hoping to get a seat before 9:30 AM, when the justices begin arriving. USA Today reports Obergefell makes a “weekly trek to Washington, lining up outside the Supreme Court at 7 a.m. every Monday and Thursday.”

“You don’t know what cases are going to be read, so it’s just sitting there being nervous,” Obergefell said of the scene inside the court on decision days.

He said he tries to arrive at the court early to get a good spot in the line outside. By 9:30, he’s gone through two metal detectors, given up his cell phone, and is seated in the courtroom watching the clock and waiting for the buzzer that signals the justices are about to enter.

Obergefell led Columbus Pride as Grand Marshal on Saturday:

The Supreme Court this month will release decisions on Mondays and Thursdays, but could add days given the large number of cases left, which is not unusual.

The court historically waits until the very last days of its session, which technically ends this month, to release the most high-profile cases, but there are few days left.

In reality, we won’t know until we know, so its high-anxiety time for millions of Americans – optimistic, hopeful, anxious, or worried – awaiting the decision, along with the other high-profile case, King v. Burwell, which will decide if Obamacare as we know it will remain.

In the same-sex marriage case, technically, the Court is expected to answer these two questions:

1) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex? 2) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state?

The Court in April heard arguments from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which also included cases from Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

For more on the waiting game, check out Chris Geidner’s “Everybody Keeps Asking When The Supreme Court’s Marriage Decision Is — So Here’s A Guide.”

The New Civil Rights Movement will have news of the court’s decision as soon as it happens, whenever it happens.

Stay tuned.

 

Image by Ted Eytan via Flickr and a CC license