Supreme Court Gives No Word on Other Marriage Cases

Following last Friday’s announcement that it would hear oral arguments in challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act and the California marriage ban, the Supreme Court announced no further action Monday in other cases presented for appeal.

An order list in the morning offered no indication whether the court had accepted or denied the other cases, including multiple challenges to DOMA and a case about benefits for same-sex domestic partners from Arizona. The cases are likely to be held until the court issues a decision in the other two, and then will be sent back to the lower courts to determine how to move forward, according to Prop 8 Trial Tracker.

The court said last week it would take up a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act brought by Edie Windsor, an 83-year-old lesbian widow from New York. The nine justices will also hear arguments in the challenge to Prop. 8. A decision in that case could have sweeping implications for the right to marry in all states, or it may only apply narrowly to California.  

A decision is expected by June in the DOMA and Prop. 8 cases.