The high court decided to keep the ruling that struck down the bans on gay marriage in Florida.
On Friday evening, the Supreme Court of the United States allowed yet another state to strike down the ban on same sex marriage. The state of Florida will be able to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples as soon as next month. The high court voted in favor of sustaining the ban dismissal 7 to 2.
The past year has seen numerous states strike down their bans. Currently, there are 35 states that allow same sex unions.
Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi attempted to reinstate the bans on gay marriage, but the high court did not agree with her appeal and allowed the bans to be removed. The temporary stay on same-sex marriage, which was put into place while the Attorney General appealed to the high court, will officially be removed on January 5, 2015.
District Judge Robert Hinkle originally overturned the constitutional ban on gay marriage in Florida back in August. Voters approved the bans back in 2008.
In the same manner as all other same-sex marriage cases, Judge Hinkle ruled that prohibiting same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. He, as well as many other legal advocates, say that the bans on same-sex marriage violate the U.S. citizens’ protection of equal rights.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court decided not to make a final decision on same sex marriage as a constitutional right for United States citizens. Their decision, whether a sustaining of bans or an overturning, would have directly settled gay marriage legality for the whole nation. Though the Supreme Court decided not to make a decision, and dismissed the case, many legal experts believe that the high court will eventually make a ruling that decides the fate of marriage in the U.S.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia were the two justices who voted in favor of the bans.
