Same-sex marriage in Ohio

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Same-sex marriage has been legal in Ohio since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges , a landmark decision in which the court struck down the state's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriage on June 26, 2015. [1] The case was named after plaintiff Jim Obergefell, who sued the state of Ohio after officials refused to recognize his marriage on the death certificate of his husband. [2] The first same-sex marriages in Ohio were performed shortly after the Supreme Court released its ruling, as local officials implemented the order. [1]

Contents

Two lawsuits in federal court challenged Ohio's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples, asking Ohio to recognize marriages from other jurisdictions for the purpose of recording a spouse on a death certificate and for recording parents' names on birth certificates. Judge Timothy Black, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, ruled that Ohio must recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. He stayed general enforcement of his ruling, but ordered the state to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages for completing death certificates in all cases and for four birth certificates. Attorney General Mike DeWine appealed the rulings to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which consolidated the two cases and held oral arguments on August 6, 2014. That court upheld Ohio's ban on same-sex marriage on November 6, 2014. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision and declared same-sex marriages legal in the United States in Obergefell on June 26, 2015.

Polling suggests that support for the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the state generally increased in the years following Obergefell, with a 2022 poll from the Public Religion Research Institute showing that 70% of Ohio residents supported same-sex marriage. [3]

Restrictions

Prior to May 7, 2004, same-sex marriage was neither recognized nor prohibited in Ohio. On December 10, 2003, the Ohio House of Representatives, by a 73–23 vote, passed the Defense of Marriage Act, which banned same-sex marriage and "statutory benefits of legal marriage to nonmarital relationships", along with prohibiting state recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages. [4] [5] The Ohio Senate passed the legislation by a 18–15 vote on January 21, 2004. On February 6, Governor Bob Taft signed it into law and it took effect on May 7, 2004. The ban was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. Ohio's statutory prohibition on same-sex marriage, though unenforceable, remains on the books and has not been explicitly repealed. In 2023, representatives Jessica Miranda and Tavia Galonski introduced legislation to repeal the ban. [6]

On November 2, 2004, voters approved State Issue 1 (the Ohio Definition of Marriage Amendment), an initiated constitutional amendment that defined marriage as "a union between one man and one woman" and prohibited any "legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage" in the state of Ohio. The amendment passed by a vote of 61.71% in favor and 38.29% against. It went into effect on December 2, 2004. The provisions in the Constitution of Ohio prohibiting same-sex marriage have since been declared unconstitutional, but they have not been explicitly repealed.

Initiative to repeal constitutional ban

In 2013, FreedomOhio and Equality Ohio sought state officials' approval of a ballot initiative that would replace the constitutional amendment and allow same-sex marriage. [7] [8] Two prominent Republicans, Senator Rob Portman and former Attorney General Jim Petro, gave their support to the campaign. [9] However, no initiative was placed on the ballot. In 2024, activists announced they would push for a citizen-led ballot initiative to constitutionally protect Ohioans from discrimination and repeal the ban on same-sex marriage. [10]

Lawsuits

State cases

Lacking legal representation and support from the local LGBT community, a lesbian couple from Dayton sued the state in Thorton v. Timmers in 1974, after being denied a marriage license. In 1975, a state court denied their request for a license and concluded that "it is the express legislative intent that those persons who may be joined in marriage must be of different sexes." A similar case, Fullington v. Ohio, was brought by Russ Stalk and David Fullington in 1990, but dismissed by an Ohio county municipal court on October 11, 1990. [11]

Obergefell v. Hodges

A Cincinnati same-sex couple filed a lawsuit, Obergefell v. Kasich, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on July 19, 2013, alleging that the state discriminated against same-sex couples who had lawfully married out-of-state. The named-defendant was Governor John Kasich. On July 22, 2013, District Judge Timothy S. Black granted the couple's motion, temporarily restraining the vital statistics registrar from accepting any death certificate unless it recorded the deceased's status at death as "married" and his partner as "surviving spouse". [12] On August 13, 2013, Black extended the temporary restraining order until the end of December. [13] The case was restyled Obergefell v. Wymyslo on September 25, with Health Department Director Theodore Wymyslo as the named defendant, and funeral director Robert Grunn was added to the lawsuit so that he could obtain clarification of his legal obligations under Ohio law when serving clients with same-sex spouses. On December 23, 2013, Judge Black ruled that Ohio's refusal to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions was discriminatory and ordered Ohio to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions on death certificates. [14]

Judge Black ruled in a similar case about the same time. In Henry v. Wymyslo, four same-sex couples legally married in other states sued to force the state to list both parents on their children's birth certificates. [15] On April 14, 2014, Black ruled that Ohio must recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions, [16] and on April 16 stayed enforcement of his ruling except for the birth certificates sought by the plaintiffs. [17] Attorney General Mike DeWine announced plans to appeal the decision.

On May 20, the Sixth Circuit consolidated the two cases, now Obergefell v. Hodges with the appointment of Richard Hodges as the new director of the Ohio Department of Health, and on November 6 ruled 2–1 that Ohio's ban on same-sex marriage did not violate the Constitution of the United States. [18] On January 16, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court consolidated Obergefell v. Hodges with three other cases from Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee, agreeing to review the case. [19] After hearing oral arguments the following April, the court ruled on June 26, 2015 that Ohio's constitutional ban violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution on equal protection and due process grounds. The ruling meant that the earlier Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision was reversed and same-sex couples began immediately marrying in the state. [20]

Governor Kasich said he was disappointed by the court ruling but said, "They've made their decision and we just move on". [21] DeWine said he would comply with the decision, "While Ohio argued that the Supreme Court should let this issue ultimately be decided by the voters, the Court has now made its decision." Senator Portman issued the following statement, "In 2013, I decided to support marriage equality after I came to understand this issue better in the context of my own family. I can't help but view today's Supreme Court decision through that same lens. And as a father, I welcome today's decision. As I have said before, I would have preferred for this issue to be resolved by the democratic process in the states because I think you build a more lasting consensus that way. Now the Court has reached its decision, I hope we can move past the division and polarization the issue has caused." The Mayor of Columbus, Michael B. Coleman, said, "I am pleased with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage because it represents true equality for all, regardless of who they love." State Representative Nickie Antonio welcomed the ruling, "From this day forward, all families – including families like mine – have the opportunity to experience the full depth and breadth of constitutional equality and the freedom to celebrate the love that binds our family, and all families – including those of same sex couples." [22]

Among the first same-sex couples to marry in Ohio were Roy Keith Garrett and Chris Richardson in Cleveland on June 26 just hours after the Supreme Court's ruling. Two more couples, Jamie Moore and Tim Scott, and Patricia Hanen and Elaine McCoy, were married just minutes later in the same city. [23] Jimmie Beall and Mindy Ross were the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in Columbus. The couple had unsuccessfully applied for a license every Valentine's Day for the past 7 or 8 years. [21] Across the state, many couples rushed to their county courthouse in the hours after the court decision to apply for licenses, including in Dayton, [24] Ironton, [25] and Toledo. [26] Mayor John Cranley officiated at the weddings of half a dozen same-sex couples on June 26 at the Fountain Square in Cincinnati. [27]

Developments after legalization

On March 15, 2016, the Ohio Supreme Court decided to issue gender-neutral references in family court cases instead of terms such as "husband" and "wife". The order includes "father", "mother", "parent" and "spouse" in its description of terms expressing familial relationships, which cover the areas of divorce, child support, guardianships, adoption, domestic relations and domestic violence. [28] [29] The order took effect the same day.

Demographics and marriage statistics

Data from the 2000 U.S. census showed that 18,937 same-sex couples were living in Ohio. By 2005, this had increased to 30,669 couples, likely attributed to same-sex couples' growing willingness to disclose their partnerships on government surveys. Same-sex couples lived in all counties of the state and constituted 0.8% of coupled households and 0.4% of all households in the state. Most couples lived in Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton counties, but the counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples were Franklin (0.74% of all county households) and Delaware (0.55%). Same-sex partners in Ohio were on average younger than opposite-sex partners, and more likely to be employed. However, the average and median household incomes of same-sex couples were lower than different-sex couples, and same-sex couples were also far less likely to own a home than opposite-sex partners. 22% of same-sex couples in Ohio were raising children under the age of 18, with an estimated 11,950 children living in households headed by same-sex couples in 2005. [30] [31]

2018 estimates from the United States Census Bureau showed that there were about 32,900 same-sex households in Ohio. [32] This represented an increase compared to 2017 (about 31,400 households), 2016 (about 27,600 households), 2015 (about 26,850 households) and 2014 (about 26,000 households). The Census Bureau estimated that 54.4% of same-sex couples living in the state in 2018 were married. The 2020 U.S. census showed that there were 17,986 married same-sex couple households (7,303 male couples and 10,683 female couples) and 17,654 unmarried same-sex couple households in Ohio. [33]

Public opinion

Public opinion for same-sex marriage in Ohio
Poll sourceDates administeredSample sizeMargin of errorSupportOppositionDo not know / refused
Public Religion Research Institute March 9 – December 7, 2023 879 adults ?69%29%2%
Public Religion Research Institute March 11 – December 14, 2022  ? ?70%28%2%
Public Religion Research Institute March 8 – November 9, 2021  ? ?69%30%1%
Public Religion Research Institute January 7 – December 20, 2020 1,894 adults ?66%30%4%
Public Religion Research Institute April 5 – December 23, 2017 2,750 adults ?61%33%6%
Public Religion Research Institute May 18, 2016 – January 10, 2017 4,074 adults ?56%35%9%
Public Religion Research Institute April 29, 2015 – January 7, 2016 3,349 adults ?53%40%7%
Public Religion Research Institute April 2, 2014 – January 4, 2015 2,041 adults ?53%39%8%
New York Times/CBS News/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 ? ?45%40%15%
SurveyUSA April 24–28, 2014618 likely voters± 4.0%43%49%8%
Quinnipiac University February 22–17, 20141,370 registered voters± 2.7%50%44%6%
Public Policy Polling August 16–19, 2013551 voters± 4.2%48%42%10%
The Washington Post September 19–23, 2012934 registered voters± 4.0%52%37%11%

A March 2013 Saperstein poll for The Columbus Dispatch revealed that 54% of Ohio residents surveyed supported a proposed amendment that would repeal the state's 2004 constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. [34] The August 2013 Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey found that 48% of respondents supported same-sex marriage, while 42% remained opposed and 10% said they were not sure. The organization also found that 69% of Ohio respondents supported either marriage (44%) or civil unions (25%) for same-sex couples, including a majority (54%) of Republican voters. 27% of respondents said that there should be no legal recognition of same-sex relationships. [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Same-sex marriage in the United States</span>

The availability of legally recognized same-sex marriage in the United States expanded from one state (Massachusetts) in 2004 to all fifty states in 2015 through various court rulings, state legislation, and direct popular votes. States each have separate marriage laws, which must adhere to rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States that recognize marriage as a fundamental right guaranteed by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as first established in the 1967 landmark civil rights case of Loving v. Virginia.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Florida since January 6, 2015, as a result of a ruling in Brenner v. Scott from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. The court ruled the state's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional on August 21, 2014. The order was stayed temporarily. State attempts at extending the stay failed, with the U.S. Supreme Court denying further extension on December 19, 2014. In addition, a state court ruling in Pareto v. Ruvin allowed same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses in Miami-Dade County on the afternoon of January 5, 2015. In another state case challenging the state's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples, a Monroe County court in Huntsman v. Heavilin stayed enforcement of its decision pending appeal and the stay expired on January 6, 2015. Florida was the 35th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in Iowa since a decision of the Iowa Supreme Court on April 3, 2009. Marriage licenses became available to same-sex couples on April 27. This ruling was the result of a lawsuit filed in 2005 by six same-sex couples who had been denied marriage licenses in Polk County. In 2007, the Polk County District Court ruled in favor of the couples in Varnum v. Brien. Two couples were married on September 2, 2007, before the ruling was stayed and appealed. On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously upheld the lower court's ruling, making Iowa the third U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in Colorado since October 7, 2014. Colorado's state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was struck down in state district court on July 9, 2014, and by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on July 23, 2014. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals had already made similar rulings with respect to such bans in Utah on June 25 and Oklahoma on July 18, which are binding precedents on courts in Colorado. On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Tenth Circuit cases, and the Tenth Circuit lifted its stay. On October 7, the Colorado Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin in Colorado.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Michigan since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. On March 21, 2014, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled the state's denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples unconstitutional. More than 300 same-sex couples married in Michigan the next day before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed enforcement of the district court's decision. On November 6, the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court's ruling and upheld Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court overturned the Sixth Circuit's ruling and legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in the United States on June 26.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in South Carolina since a federal court order took effect on November 20, 2014. Another court ruling on November 18 had ordered the state to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. Following the 2014 ruling of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Bostic v. Schaefer, which found Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional and set precedent on every state in the circuit, one judge accepted marriage license applications from same-sex couples until the South Carolina Supreme Court, in response to a request by the Attorney General, ordered him to stop. A federal district court ruled South Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional on November 12, with implementation of that decision stayed until noon on November 20. The first same-sex wedding ceremony was held on November 19.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Louisiana since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. The court held that the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples is unconstitutional, invalidating Louisiana's ban on same-sex marriage. The ruling clarified conflicting court rulings on whether state officials are obligated to license same-sex marriages. Governor Bobby Jindal confirmed on June 28 that Louisiana would comply with the ruling once the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its decision in a Louisiana case, which the Fifth Circuit did on July 1. Jindal then said the state would not comply with the ruling until the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana reversed its judgment, which it did on July 2. All parishes now issue marriage licenses in accordance with federal law.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Alabama since June 26, 2015, in accordance with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. Not all counties immediately complied with the ruling, copying behavior from the civil rights era when they had refused to perform interracial marriages. A year after the Supreme Court ruling, twelve counties would either issue licenses to no one or only to opposite-sex couples. By 2017, this number had dropped to only eight counties, with all eight refusing to issue licenses to anyone. In May 2019, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill replacing the option that counties issue marriage licenses and perform marriage ceremonies with the requirement of counties to record marriage certificates. Subsequently, all counties complied and announced on August 29, 2019 that they would record marriage certificates for interracial and same-sex couples. Previously, Alabama had banned the licensing of same-sex marriages and the recognition of such marriages from other jurisdictions by executive order in 1996, by statute in 1998, and by constitutional amendment in June 2006.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in South Dakota since June 26, 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the U.S. Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry. Attorney General Marty Jackley issued a statement critical of the ruling but said that the state would comply and recognize same-sex marriages. Previously, South Dakota had restricted marriage to the "union of a man and a woman" both by statute and in its State Constitution.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Nebraska since June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Following the court ruling, Attorney General Doug Peterson announced that the state of Nebraska would comply and recognize same-sex marriages.

Same-sex marriage became legal in Kansas following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015, which found the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples unconstitutional. By June 30, all 31 judicial districts and all 105 Kansas counties were issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples or had agreed to do so. Kansas state agencies initially delayed recognition of same-sex marriages for purposes including but not limited to changing names, ascribing health benefits and filing joint tax returns, but began doing so on July 6.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Texas since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. Previously, the U.S. state of Texas had banned same-sex marriage both by statute since 1973 and in its State Constitution since 2005. On February 26, 2014, Judge Orlando Luis Garcia of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas found that Texas's ban on same-sex marriages was unconstitutional. On April 22, 2014, a state court came to the same conclusion. Both cases were appealed. The district court's decision was appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, but before that court could issue a ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all same-sex marriage bans in the United States in Obergefell on June 26, 2015. Within a few months of the court ruling, all counties had started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, except for Irion County, which announced in 2020 that it would begin issuing licenses to same-sex couples, making it the last county in the United States to comply with the ruling.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Tennessee since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. Governor Bill Haslam quickly announced that the state would abide by the court's decision, and same-sex couples began to marry in Tennessee. Previously, Tennessee had banned same-sex marriage both by statute and its State Constitution.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Kentucky since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. The decision, which struck down Kentucky's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriages, was handed down on June 26, 2015, and Governor Steve Beshear and Attorney General Jack Conway announced almost immediately that the court's order would be implemented.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Mississippi since June 26, 2015. On November 25, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi ruled that Mississippi's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Enforcement of his ruling was stayed pending appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples violates the U.S. Constitution. On June 29, Attorney General Jim Hood ordered clerks to comply with the court ruling and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Fifth Circuit lifted its stay on July 1, and Judge Reeves ordered an end to Mississippi's enforcement of its same-sex marriage ban. However, until July 2, 2015, several counties in Mississippi continued to refuse to issue marriage licenses, including DeSoto, Jasper, Jones, Newton, Pontotoc, Simpson and Yalobusha.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Missouri since the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which struck down state bans on marriages between two people of the same sex on June 26, 2015. Prior to the court ruling, the state recognized same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions pursuant to a state court ruling in October 2014, and certain jurisdictions of the state performed same-sex marriages despite a statewide ban.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Arkansas since the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015, striking down same-sex marriage bans nationwide. Prior to this, same-sex marriage in Arkansas was briefly legal for a period beginning on May 9, 2014, as a result of a ruling by Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Chris Piazza striking down the state's constitutional and statutory bans on same-sex marriage as violating the U.S. Constitution. Approximately 541 same-sex couples received marriage licenses in several counties before the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed his ruling pending appeal on May 16, 2014.

Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States which ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. The 5–4 ruling requires all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Insular Areas to perform and recognize the marriages of same-sex couples on the same terms and conditions as the marriages of opposite-sex couples, with equal rights and responsibilities. Prior to Obergefell, same-sex marriage had already been established by statute, court ruling, or voter initiative in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in the U.S. state of Georgia since the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015. Attorney General Sam Olens announced that Georgia would "adhere to the ruling of the Court", and the first couple married just one hour after the ruling was handed down. Previously, Georgia had banned same-sex marriage both by statute and its State Constitution.

In the United States, the history of same-sex marriage dates from the early 1940s, when the first lawsuits seeking legal recognition of same-sex relationships brought the question of civil marriage rights and benefits for same-sex couples to public attention though they proved unsuccessful. However marriage wasn't a request for the LGBTQ movement until the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Washington (1987). The subject became increasingly prominent in U.S. politics following the 1993 Hawaii Supreme Court decision in Baehr v. Miike that suggested the possibility that the state's prohibition might be unconstitutional. That decision was met by actions at both the federal and state level to restrict marriage to male-female couples, notably the enactment at the federal level of the Defense of Marriage Act.

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