Marriage Equality US

The current status of marriage equality in the United States. Updated March 4, 2015

As of March 4, 2015, there are 36 states, and the District of Columbia, where same-sex marriage is legal statewide. This is a reduction by one because the Alabama Supreme Court  ordered that same-sex marriage stop as of March 4. This brings the state's Supreme Court into conflict with the federal court system, which had ruled Alabama's marriage ban unconstitutional. Marriage licenses began to be issued in many, but not all, of the state's counties on February 9. The US Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals refused to extend the stay.

On March 2, a federal District Judge ruled Nebraska's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. The ruling was stayed, and the state has appealed to the 8th Circuit Court. The 8th Circuit already has a hearing scheduled in May for same-sex marriage cases from Arkansas, Missouri, and South Dakota. It is expected they will add the Nebraska case to that hearing.

On January 16, the Supreme Court accepted an appeal of the Sixth Circuit's gay marriage decision, in which the Circuit Court upheld a state's right to ban gay marriage. A hearing will take place in April, with a decision expected by late June.

In Arkansas, the new Republican Attorney General asked the state Supreme Court to rehear the state's marriage case, which was already heard in November. The state supreme court responded by asking both sides to say, within 30 days, which justices should rule on the case, because the makeup of the court has changed since the case was heard in November.

In Missouri, gay marriages are being performed in a limited number of counties, as court battles and appeals continue. Gay marriages performed in other states are recognized statewide, due to a state court judge's ruling. (Missouri is shown in green to indicate some progress.)

The Arkansas and Missouri cases, as well as one from South Dakota, will be heard by the Eighth Circuit Court on an expedited basis, with a hearing scheduled for May.

On November 4, a Federal District Judge ordered Kansas to allow same-sex couples to marry. After much legal maneuvering, including appeals to both the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and to the Supreme Court, both denied, the Kansas Supreme Court lifted its hold on the issuance of marriage licenses to gay couples. As a result, gay marriage began in Kansas on Nov. 13 in many, but not all, of the state's counties. The state's agencies still do not recognize same-sex marriages.

Watch gayly.com and our Facebook page for udates in the fight for marriage equality as they happen.

The Gayly – March 4, 2015 @ 4:25pm.