36 states now adorn the legal permission to wed same-gender partners as of 2014. The striking down of the Defense of Marriage Act in 2013 led to almost quadruple the states allowing same-gender marriages. Multiple victories for LGBTQIA couples granted equal marriage rights to states including Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and both Carolinas. The Supreme Court of the United States had been on a roll, striking down ban after ban throughout the year; ten of the 14 states still without equal marriage are currently seeking Supreme Court review to appeal the ban.
Recently, however, marriage equality advocates have lost momentum in one of the newer states to appeal the marriage ban in Louisiana. On Friday, the Supreme Court announced that they have decided to not take the case despite a pending appeal from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. LGBTQ rights advocates representing the Louisiana plaintiffs stated in court documents that there is an "intense need” to resolve the issue, which has faced controversy from locals across the state since DOMA had been repealed, and in October, the state court upheld the ban on gay marriage.
According to Supreme Court press releases, none of the other four states will have no action taken on their bans. Equal marriage advocates remain stumped at the decision, but nevertheless will continue to fight the bans until the SCOTUS returns to the cases, if possible.
Questions:
Why do you think the SCOTUS decided not to take the cases in Louisiana or the other four states?
Will this decision stop momentum in gaining equal marriage rights in other states?
Should the SCOTUS return to these cases soon? Why or why not?
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