gaymarriage

The United States Supreme Court on Monday let stand rulings that allow gay marriage in five states, bringing the total number of state allowing the practice to 24.

Kentucky and Ohio are not among them as the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is still considering cases in those states.

From The New York Times:

The impact of the move will in short order be even broader.

Monday’s orders let stand decisions from three federal appeals courts with jurisdiction over six other states that ban same-sex marriage: Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming. Those appeals courts will almost certainly follow their own precedents to strike down those additional bans as well, meaning the number of states with same-sex marriage should soon climb to 30.

“This is a massive victory for LGBT people across the United States, but also across the Ohio River for our neighbors in Indiana and even here in Kentucky,” said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Louisville-based Fairness Campaign. “This means that many committed Kentucky couples will now have less of an economic burden to wed, traveling across the river to Indiana rather than being forced to make the much longer journey to Illinois, our next nearest state with LGBT marriage equality.” 

Today’s Supreme Court decision does not affect the status of LGBT marriage in Kentucky or the the other three states that have cases pending before the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard challenges to LGBT marriages bans in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Michigan onAugust 6. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals could rule any day in those cases.
 
The Fairness Campaign and ACLU-KY will join Kentucky plaintiffs and their attorneys for a “Day of Decision” Rally or Protest on the day the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Kentucky’s marriage equality cases at 5:30 p.m. in Jefferson Square, located at 6th and Jefferson Streets in Louisville, 40202.
 
-Staff report