The Supreme Court has declined to revisit its controversial 2015 same-sex marriage ruling, leaving religious liberty advocates without recourse while upholding a $360,000 penalty against a Christian clerk who stood by her faith.
Story Snapshot
- The Supreme Court rejected Kim Davis’s appeal to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges without comment.
- Davis must pay $360,000 in damages for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses on religious grounds.
- Only Justice Clarence Thomas has publicly supported overturning the same-sex marriage decision.
- The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between religious freedom and government mandates.
Court Refuses to Reconsider Landmark Marriage Decision
The Supreme Court on Monday, November 10, 2025, without comment, turned away former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis’s appeal to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Davis had sought to challenge both the original decision and a lower court’s order requiring her to pay $360,000 in damages and attorney’s fees to a couple she denied a marriage license. The justices’ silence effectively ends Davis’s legal battle and maintains the current legal framework.
The Supreme Court on Monday denied a bid to overturn its landmark decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis had asked the court to overturn its ruling and a $100,000 damages lawsuit against her.https://t.co/EjjwGXmhld pic.twitter.com/sldiFXZlq2
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) November 10, 2025
Religious Liberty Champion Faces Financial Consequences
Davis drew national attention in 2015 when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Rowan County, Kentucky, citing her Christian faith. Federal judges ordered her compliance, but Davis maintained her position until being jailed for contempt of court in September 2015.
She was released only after her staff issued licenses on her behalf, with her name removed from the forms. The Kentucky legislature later passed a law removing all county clerks’ names from marriage licenses statewide.
Conservative Justices Remain Divided on Marriage Issue
Among the current justices, only Clarence Thomas has explicitly called for overturning Obergefell v. Hodges. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, both 2015 dissenters, have taken different approaches since the original ruling.
Roberts has remained silent while Alito continues criticizing the decision, but stopped short of advocating its reversal. Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested same-sex marriage differs from abortion because couples have built families relying on the legal precedent.
Religious Freedom Concerns Persist Under Current Legal Framework
Davis’s case represents broader concerns among religious conservatives about government overreach, forcing compliance with policies that conflict with deeply held beliefs. Her legal team repeatedly cited Thomas’s criticisms of Obergefell, hoping to gain traction with the current conservative-majority court.
However, the justices’ refusal to hear the case suggests that even with a 6-3 conservative majority, the court is reluctant to revisit this particular social issue, leaving faith-based objectors vulnerable to significant financial penalties.
