The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review any of the pending marriage-equality cases before it — bringing same-sex marriage to five, and likely many more, states.
The decision lets lower-court rulings overturning state marriage-equality bans stand in Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. The court did not issue any commentary on its decision. Marriage equality will become the law of the land in those five states, and will likely summarily come to states in the Fourth, Seventh and Tenth Circuits — paving the way for same-sex marriage in North and South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming, bringing the total number of marriage-equality states to 30, plus Washington, D.C.
“Any time same-sex couples are extended marriage equality is something to celebrate, and today is a joyous day for thousands of couples across America who will immediately feel the impact of today’s Supreme Court action,” said Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin. “But let me be clear, the complex and discriminatory patchwork of marriage laws that was prolonged today by the Supreme Court is unsustainable. The only acceptable solution is nationwide marriage equality and we recommit to ourselves to securing that ultimate victory as soon as possible.”