The U.S. Supreme Court deferred action on four appeals that seek to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide while rejecting a longshot case filed by gay couples in Louisiana.
The high court is considering whether to hear arguments that the Constitution guarantees same-sex marriage rights. The nine justices were scheduled to take up the matter at their private conference last week.
The Louisiana appeal asked the Supreme Court to take the unusual step of bypassing the appellate court level. Pending appeals from couples in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee are taking a more traditional route, seeking review of a federal appeals court ruling that upheld state bans. The Supreme Court may act on those appeals later this week.
Supreme Court review would threaten bans that remain in effect in 14 states and potentially cap a transformation in the rights of gay Americans. The case would come 11 years after Massachusetts became the first gay-marriage state.
The court may issue a list of new cases Jan. 16, the day of its next scheduled private conference, and might act on the other marriage appeals then. The court will issue a longer list of orders on Jan. 20.
The case acted on today is Robicheaux v. George, 14-596.
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