The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution has significantly influenced American society, particularly regarding marriage equality. Key Supreme Court cases demonstrate how this amendment has been interpreted to protect fundamental rights and ensure equal treatment under the law. Obergefell v. Hodges, U.S. () (/ ˈoʊbərɡəfɛl / OH-bər-gə-fel), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court which ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.
The 5–4 ruling requires all 50 states, the District of.
Obergefell v. Hodges Overview Obergefell v. Hodges is a landmark case in which on June 26,the Supreme Court of the United States held, in decision, that state bans on same-sex marriage and on recognizing same sex marriages duly performed in other jurisdictions are unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States.
The denial of marriage impedes many legal rights and privileges, such as adoptions, parental rights, and property transfer. The Court has long held that marriage is a fundamental right. Here, the Court held that states must allow and recognize same-sex marriages under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court has greatly expanded LGBTQ+ rights in its constitutional cases, including a decision that the Fourteenth Amendment requires marriage equality.
In Obergefell v Hodgesa five-member Court majority concluded that the bans did indeed violate both 14 Amendment provisions. The Bill of Rights—comprised of the first ten amendments to the Constitution—originally applied only to the federal government. As oftwelve states recognize same sex marriage see map. Yet since then, the Supreme Court has elaborated significantly on this core understanding.
The jury determined the facts and the judge enforced the law. Josh Schriver unveiled his own anti-gay marriage resolution on Feb. While a full discussion of the methodological debate cannot be elaborated here, we can at least contrast two major approaches. Mullane v. Scott, a slave, argued that he was free because his 14th amendment and gay marriage had taken him to territory where slavery was banned.
In Windsorthe petitioner had married her same-sex spouse in Canada, and lived in New York where the marriage was recognized. Prohibiting state religious establishments has broad political support, and it reinforces the religious liberty secured against the states by the incorporation of the Free Exercise Clause. Central Hanover Bank Local Democratic leaders denounced the resolution, arguing that it discriminates against the rights of LGBTQ Americans and distracts from more pressing issues facing Michigan residents.
None of these offer strong support for the rights protected by substantive due process. First, it put an end to the idea that the due process methodology was backward looking. In the decision of United States v. Inhowever, Obergefell v. Glucksberg Video by Lilia Geho. Justice Scalia ridiculed the reasoning of the Court, indicating in a footnote that he would hold his head "in a bag" if he were compelled to join the majority's opinion.
DOMA precluded her claim for an exemption. Hodges invalidated several state laws limiting the licensing and recognition of marriage to two people of the opposite sex. But this would raise another set of textual and historical difficulties. The fear is that five Justices on the United States Supreme Court will make law for the entire nation based solely on their personal policy preferences, given that they have no text to guide or constrain them.
Third, substantive due process has consistently generated political controversy. Jackson Women's Health Organization case that overturned the federal right to abortion. RomerP. The Court in Bowers seemed very concerned about the slippery slope. But Americans disagree about what should count as a fundamental right, and many think the fairest way to resolve that disagreement is through political debate.
After the Civil War, Congress adopted a number of measures to protect individual rights from interference by the states.
Copyright ©itether.pages.dev 2025