Supreme Court justice: Same-sex marriage case will be heard ‘soon’
Justice Antonin Scalia has hinted that the Supreme Court intends to take up a same-sex marriage case “soon”.
The Supreme Court held a closed-doors meeting last week to consider taking up their first same-sex marriage case since last year’s United States V Windsor, when the Defence of Marriage Act banning federal recognition of marriages was struck down.
However, despite cases pending from Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia, the court opted to not immediately take up any of the cases – though it can still do so at any time.
Justices must vote on whether or not to take up the cases, and if four or more justices vote for a case, it will be heard.
However, conservative-leaning judge Antonin Scalia has hinted that an equal marriage case should be taken up “soon”.
Asked about the court taking up a same-sex marriage case at a talk at the University of Colorado, he said: “I know when, but I’m not going to tell you. Soon, soon.”
He is the second Supreme Court judge to weigh in on the court taking up a case, after liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said last month: “I think the court will not do what they did in the old days when they continually ducked the issue of miscegenation. If a (marriage equality case) is properly before the court, they will take it.”
She had hinted at the time that a verdict from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals – which is expected to become the first to find against marriage equality – could be instrumental.
However, the 6th Circuit is still yet to return a verdict.
