The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, allowing a lower court ruling to stand and leaving the landmark 2015 decision on same-sex marriage untouched.
Davis gained national attention for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. Now, she faces over $360,000 in damages and legal fees after being sued by couples she turned away, CNN confirmed.
LGBTQ groups expressed relief after Monday’s decision.
Today, love won again,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. The Supreme Court made clear today that refusing to respect the constitutional rights of others does not come without consequences.
The current Supreme Court has become significantly more conservative since 2015, fueling concerns that the ruling could be at risk. But the court’s denial to revisit Obergefell signals no immediate threat to marriage equality.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, who authored the original decision, has since retired. His powerful words still resonate: “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family.
Though Davis argued that her religious beliefs should shield her from liability, the court declined to revisit that claim. Her case is now closed, but marriage equality remains an ongoing point of tension in a politically divided nation.
