First private conference of 2014 SCOTUS term features 7 same-sex marriage petitions
There will likely be a U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage rights by June, the New York Times reports, given that this term’s first private justice conference on Monday had seven petitions on the issue.
If the cert petitions get grants, the article states, the court could hear each separately. It could also ask for separate arguments on different theories. It takes four votes to get a petition on the docket, CNN reports.
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia, according to CNN. During the 2013 Supreme Court term, the court found that supporters of a California same-sex marriage ban did not have standing to appeal a ruling that struck it down. The court also ruled during the 2013 term that same-sex couples are entitled to federal benefits.
The cert petitions for the 2014 term come from Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana, CNN reports. Theodore Olson and David Boies, the lawyers who argued in favor of same-sex marriage for California, are also involved in a Virginia petition.
In the past year, state and federal courts have ruled in favor of same-sex marriage 39 times, CNN reports.
“In theory, the justices can avoid deciding any question, particularly when there is no real division and there isn’t about same-sex marriage—yet,” Washington, DC, lawyer and SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein told CNN. “But this is just too important. They can’t stay out, it would be ridiculous for the nation’s highest court not to decide this issue now.”
