State marriage bans succumb to Federal Court challenge since previous historic supreme court rulings.
Taking place in Washington, on May 20th, Pennsylvania became the 10th state where a Federal Judge has struck down a marriage ban, since the historic U.S Supreme Court Rulings last year. Of the 10 Federal District Judges who have stuck down marriage bans in the last year, 7 were appointed by Democrats and 3 by Republicans, including Judge John Jones who issued the ruling in Pennsylvania.
Former U.S Senator Rick Santorum announces his support for the judge’s confirmation by the Senate. He referred to Judge Jones as highly qualified to assume the important role of Judge and the duty of protecting the Constitution and ensuring the effective operation of the U.S judicial system.
There are at least 70 court cases challenging discriminatory marriage bans across the country; 44 of these cases are currently pending in federal courts, while 27 are pending in state courts, all in 29 states plus Puerto Rico.
Same-sex couples can legally marry in 18 states and the District of Columbia, while 32 states have a law or constitutional amendment restricting marriage to the union of one man and one woman. Only 2 states – North Dakota and South Dakota – have bans on marriage equality, but no current court cases challenging their constitutionality.
Since the U.S. Supreme court ruled in two historic marriage cases last summer, not a single state marriage ban has survived a court challenge.
So far five federal appeals courts are presiding over ten marriage equality cases over the coming weeks and months.
These cases include:
· Kitchen v. Herbert of Utah [Oral argument at the Tenth Circuit was held April 10, 2014]
· Bishop v. United States out of Oklahoma [Oral argument at the Tenth Circuit was held April 17, 2014]
· Bostic v. Rainey of Virginia, [Oral argument at the Fourth Circuit was held May 13, 2014]
· Sevcik v. Sandoval of Nevada, Ninth Circuit
· Latta v. Otter of Idaho, Ninth Circuit
· Tanco v. Haslam of Tennessee, Sixth Circuit
· Bourke vs. Beshear of Kentucky, Sixth Circuit
· Obergefell v. Kasich of Ohio, Sixth Circuit
· DeBoer v. Snyder of Michigan, Sixth Circuit
· DeLeon v. Perry out of Texas, Fifth Circuit
The Sixth Circuit holds the distinction of being the only federal appeals court to date that will consider marriage cases from all states within its jurisdiction.
Currently, 40% of Americans live in states with marriage equality. That number will jump to 44% if PA Gov. Corbett does not appeal the decision by the Federal Judge and the ruling stands.
According to a March 2014 Washington Post/ABC News poll, 59% of Americans support marriage rights for committed and loving gay and lesbian couples. That same month, Pew released poll results showing 61% of Republicans and Republican leaners under the age of 30 favouring marriage equality.
More Info: http://www.hrc.org/