The Supreme Court did not rule on two
cases related to gay marriage on Monday, one of only a handful of
Decision Days left in the current session.
The high court released five opinions
on Monday morning. According to SCOTUSblog, no additional rulings
are expected until Thursday.
“No #SCOTUS rulings today in same-sex
marriage, affirmative action or voting rights act,” SCOTUSblog
tweeted. “Court will be back Thursday.”
Oral arguments in the cases were heard
in March. Most court watchers believe the court will hold off on
issuing the opinions until the very end of this year's session, on
June 26 or 27.
One case challenges the
constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban,
while the other claims the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which
prohibits federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of
gay and lesbian couples, is unconstitutional.
Experts predict that the court will
strike down DOMA but a broad ruling is not expected in the
Proposition 8 case.
The possible outcomes in Hollingsworth
v. Perry vary from a narrow decision allowing the plaintiffs in
the case, two gay couples, to marry, to a broad ruling which could
affect the entire nation. But more likely, experts say, is a
decision that would limit the expansion of such rights to California.
Whether the court rules this week or
next, gay rights activists are preparing events throughout the
nation. In California, AFER, the group formed to challenge Prop 8,
is promoting its Decision
Day event, which will take place in West Hollywood at 5:30PM on
the day the court rules.