US: Ruling striking down Oklahoma same-sex marriage ban to face Supreme Court challenge
A ruling striking down Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban is to face a legal challenge in the US Supreme Court.
A lesbian couple sued after a clerk denied them a marriage license, leading a judge declare the same-sex marriage ban violated the 14th Amendment, which entitles every US citizen to the same rights.
The ruling was last month upheld by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
According to The Oklahoman, the clerk is being supported by Alliance Defending Freedom, an organisation which describes itself as a ‘legal defense against growing attacks on religious freedom’.
Mary Bishop and Sharon Baldwin, the couple at the centre of the original case against the clerk, said: “Although we aren’t surprised by the Alliance Defending Freedom’s decision to appeal our victory from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, neither are we disappointed.
“We are ready to see the highest court in the land affirm that marriage equality is the law of the land.
“We have confidence in our case and our lawyers, and should the Supreme Court agree to hear our case, we anticipate a victory there, as well.”
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling which struck down the gay marriage ban was passed 2-1.
Alliance Defending Freedom claims to have an 80% success rate in its cases, and upholds the exclusion of ‘advocates of homosexual behaviour’ from leadership in the Boy Scouts as one such success.
