Supreme Court asked to revisit 2015 ruling on gay marriage
News | By Easton Martin | August 13, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to revisit its 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same sex marriage nationwide. The request comes from Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who in 2015 declined to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples, citing her Christian faith. Davis was jailed at the time and later found liable in federal court, but she argues that her actions were protected under the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom.
Her petition to the Supreme Court asks the justices to overturn Obergefell, calling the ruling a legal overreach that infringes on the rights of states and individuals to uphold the traditional definition of marriage. Supporters of her case say it is an opportunity to restore the authority of states to define marriage in line with their citizens’ values and to protect religious liberty for public officials.
If the Court agrees to hear the case, it could have significant implications for marriage laws nationwide. Even with a reversal of Obergefell, the Respect for Marriage Act of 2022 would still require states to recognize existing same sex marriages, while allowing states to determine the definition of marriage going forward.
