Wrong Side of History: 6th Circuit Rules Against the Freedom to Marry, Creating Split in Circuits

Wolfson: 'This ruling will not stand the test of time or appeal'

New York - Nov 6, 2014 – Today the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati became the first federal appellate court in over a year to rule against the freedom to marry. The ruling overturned lower court decisions out of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan, all of which found that denying marriage to gay couples is unconstitutional. The 6th Circuit's decision is in conflict with favorable marriage rulings in virtually every court up until this point, including the 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th circuits and a strong majority of the American people.

Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:

"Today's ruling is completely out of step with the Supreme Court's clear signal last month, out of step with the constitutional command as recognized by nearly every state and federal court in the past year, and out of step with the majority of the American people. This anomalous ruling won't stand the test of time or appeal. But with discrimination still burdening too many families, and now with this split in the circuits, Freedom to Marry calls on the Supreme Court to swiftly take these cases, affirm the freedom to marry, and bring national resolution once and for all. American couples and their families should no longer be forced to fight court by court, state by state, day by day for the freedom and dignity that our Constitution promises."

Once the pro-marriage rulings from the 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th Circuits are fully implemented, same-sex couples will have the freedom to marry in 35 states plus the District of Columbia, representing 64% of the American people. And already, as of last month, a majority of Americans live in a freedom to marry state.

Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.