The US Supreme Court this week declined to review federal court appeals from five states seeking to uphold the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.
The Court’s decision has immediate effect and means same-sex 'marriages' can now be performed in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The ruling also paves the way for such 'marriages' to take place in a further six states where the Court has jurisdiction - Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming.
The Justices have declined to comment, with critics noting that decisions to uphold marriage as between one man and one woman had been passed with majority democratic support in a number of states.
Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation, a Christian think-tank, commented, “Declining to review these cases does not speak one way or the other to the merits of the cases. But it does leave in place bad rulings from lower courts - and it will make it harder for courts to do the right thing in the future.”
Byron Babione, Senior Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, whose attorneys filed petitions in defense of Oklahoma's and Virginia's laws upholding marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The court's decision not to take up this issue now means that the marriage battle will continue. Several federal courts - including those in the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 11th circuits - still have cases working their way to the Supreme Court.
"ADF will continue to remain a leader in the critical effort for the freedom of the people. The people should decide this issue, not the courts."
The decision, which came in the form of a series of brief orders from the court, means that same sex 'marriage' is now permitted in over half of America’s 50 states.
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