Supreme Court rejects call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal to overturn its 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The justices, without issuing comments, declined to hear a case brought by Kim Davis, a former Kentucky court clerk who had refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Davis had been seeking to overturn a lower court's order for her to pay $360,000 in damages and legal fees to a couple she denied a license. Her legal team cited Justice Clarence Thomas, who has advocated for overturning the same-sex marriage ruling, though he was one of only four dissenting justices in 2015. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, also dissenters from the original ruling, are currently on the court. While Justice Amy Coney Barrett has previously stated the court should correct its errors, she has also suggested that same-sex marriage may be distinct from other rulings due to societal reliance. The Human Rights Campaign praised the Supreme Court's decision, emphasizing that denying constitutional rights has consequences. Davis gained national attention for her defiance, which led to her brief jailing for contempt of court. Ultimately, Kentucky's legislature passed a law removing county clerks' names from marriage licenses. Davis lost her reelection bid in 2018.