Federal court upholds gay marriage ban sixth circuit

The ruling makes it increasingly likely the Supreme Court will take up gay marriage once again. Judge Sutton also argued a constitutional right to same-sex marriage could be used in support of legalised polygamy. In a sharp dissent, Judge Martha Craig Daugherty wrote, "the author of the majority opinion has drafted what would make an engrossing TED Talk or, possibly, an introductory lecture in political philosophy.

Sixth Circuit: Now, a split on same-sex marriage

Two 6th Circuit judges -- both conservatives -- agreed. One of them is Jeffrey Sutton, who once ruled in favor of a Christian evangelical graduate student who was expelled for refusing to counsel gay students on religious grounds. The other is Deborah Cook, whose appointment to the 6th Circuit in caused an uproar among some civil rights groups.

Appeals court upholds Michigan's gay marriage ban

In addressing the majority's opinion, Daughtrey examined the four other appellate opinions — from the 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th circuits — before concluding, "[I]t would seem unnecessary for this court to do more than cite those cases in affirming the district courts' decisions in the six cases now before us.

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Four States' Same-Sex Marriage Bans

The opinion was joined by Circuit Judge Deborah L. At this point, the decision conflicts directly with federal appeals courts in the Fourth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits — precisely the kind of division of judgment that ordinarily will lead the Supreme Court to step in to resolve the split, especially on an issue of fundamental constitutional significance.