Former KY Clerk Seeks Supreme Court Review of Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2015, has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Davis argues that her religious beliefs, protected under the First Amendment, justify her refusal and claims the Obergefell ruling was "egregiously wrong" and a "legal fiction." Her appeal also seeks reversal of the $360,000 she was ordered to pay for emotional distress and legal fees after being jailed for five days. Supporters of Davis see this case as potentially analogous to the post-Roe v. Wade landscape, where issues like abortion were returned to state control, hoping the Court might reconsider federal mandates on marriage. However, LGBTQ advocates and others maintain that the issue is settled law and view the appeal as a waste of court resources. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to hear the case could have far-reaching implications, possibly reopening debates on same-sex marriage rights in the U.S.