Supreme Court Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Ruling, Dismisses Kim Davis Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis to overturn the 2015 landmark ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. Davis claimed the ruling conflicted with her religious beliefs. The decision reaffirms the Obergefell v. Hodges case that made same-sex marriage a constitutional right.

In a significant decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk, in her bid to overturn a crucial 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This decision reinforces the landmark ruling known as Obergefell v. Hodges, which established marriage equality as a constitutional right.

Davis was sued by a gay couple after she refused to issue marriage licenses in the wake of the 2015 decision due to her religious beliefs. Despite her arguments that the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protected her actions, lower courts ruled that her refusal constituted a violation of the couple's rights, ultimately ordering her to pay significant damages and legal fees.

The Supreme Court's conservative majority, opting not to take up Davis's appeal, solidifies the standing of the Obergefell decision amidst a shifting ideological landscape in the judiciary. This development arrives despite hopes by some conservative factions that the Court might reconsider same-sex marriage rights following its controversial 2022 ruling on abortion rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)