SCOTUS denies review of Louisiana case, takes no action on other marriage petitions

Today, the United States Supreme Court denied review in an out-of-step ruling upholding marriage discrimination in Louisiana. The ruling has not yet received judgment from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which heard oral argument in the case on Friday. A positive decision this winter stands to reverse that out-of-step order.

The Court granted no new certiorari reviews at all; an anti-marriage ruling from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (impacting Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan) will likely be redistributed for their next conference, on Friday, January 16. 

The Louisiana case now awaiting a decision from the 5th Circuit is Robicheaux v. Caldwell; on September 3 of this year, U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman became the first federal judge since June 2013 to uphold marriage discrimination in this federal case seeking the freedom to marry and respect for marriages performed in other states. The case is led by Lambda Legal, Stone Pigman Walther Wittman, Richard Perque and Scott Spivey. The case includes 7 plaintiff couples - Jon Robicheaux and Derek Penton, Lauren and Jackie Brettner, Nick Van Syckles and Andrew Bond, Havard Scott and Sergio Prieto, Henry Lambert and Carey Bond, Courtney and Nadine Blanchard, Robert Wells and Garth Beaugard - and the Forum for Equality Louisiana.

Learn more about the 4 marriage cases from the 6th Circuit awaiting a decision on review from the U.S. Supreme Court.