Supreme Court Faces Test on same-sex marriage rights

The court has been asked to revisit Obergefell but has not signaled whether it will hear the case.

Supreme Court Faces Test on same-sex marriage rights

Kim Davis, the former county clerk who became a symbol in the fight over same-sex marriage, filed a petition at the Supreme Court in July asking the court to overturn Obergefell v Hodges. The court has not acted, and the Davis petition is set for a conference on September 29, after which a decision on whether to hear the case could come later.

If the court chooses to take up the case, it would test how far the justices are willing to revise or overturn a landmark civil-rights ruling. Even with a conservative majority, there is no clear signal of agreement to overturn Obergefell, and past behavior shows the court often avoids high-stakes shifts. The potential path forward would hinge on how justices interpret precedent and the legal theory used to defend or critique the 2015 ruling.

Highlights

The court’s next move will be watched not just by legal scholars but by families across the country.