Key Players in Supreme Court Case That Lead to Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

On June 26, the Supreme Court ruled that Same-Sex Marriage was protected by the Constitution. Key players in the case include Jim Obergerfell, who sued the state of Ohio for not recognizing him as a widower.

During the court hearing the justices were prompted to determine if the 14th Amendment obliges states to license same-sex unions and recognize if such marriages that were conducted in other states, according to NPR.

Same sex couples challenged laws in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, which define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The case that brought about these state challenges was Obergefell vs. Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health.

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Obergefell’s 21-year partner, John Arthur, died of ALS a few months after they became legally married in Maryland in 2013, according to ABC News.

Here is a list of the Supreme Court justices and their rulings on the case that ended in a 5-4 vote.

1. Clarence Thomas: No
Thomas was nominated by George H. Bush in 1991, to replace Thurgood Marshall.

2. Stephan Breyer: Yes
Breyer was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

3. Samuel Alito: No
Alito was nominated by George W. Bush in 2006.

4. Elena Kagan: Yes
Kagan was nominated by Obama in 2009.

5. Sonia Sotomayor: Yes
Sotomayor was also picked by Obama in 2009. She is the first Latino in history to serve on the Supreme Court.

6. John Roberts: No
Roberts was appointed by George W. Bush in 2005, in the wake of the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

7. Antonin Scalia: No
Scalia was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986.

8. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Yes
Ginsburg was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993. Ginsburg has been a past supporter of same-sex marriage and has presided over same-sex weddings in the past, according to CNN.

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9. Anthony Kennedy: Yes
Kennedy was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1988. Kennedy’s vote was the deciding vote in the case. In the past Kennedy has not been the most celebrated justice, due to his defining vote in 2000 that enabled Bush the presidency, according to The Brookings Institution.

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