U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Consider Federal Gay Marriage Challenges // As of 10/06/14, There are Now 26 Marriage Equality States Plus Washington DC -- With More Pending!!

There have been so many federal court cases floating around these days that I've largely stopped writing about them. It's the same story most of the time. A series of same-sex couples are denied the ability to marry each other. They file federal court challenges. They are successful and their state's constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage is struck down. That decision is stayed. Their state government appeals to a federal appeals court. And the cycle is repeated.

Until today.

Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that it was not going to consider a series of cases involving the states of Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Utah. It turns out that another series of cases involving North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming have also gotten folded into this decision.

Gay marriages have already begun in Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oklahoma, Virginia, Utah. Not only that, but Missouri decided they will stop fighting a case that required them to recognize an out-of-state gay marriage.South Carolina has decided to keep up the fight. Kansas, West Virginia, and Wyoming are still up in the air. North Carolina won't see any gay weddings for at least ten days. So it's still a bit of a jumbled mess.

That said, there were 19 marriage equality states (plus Washington DC and various Native American tribes) yesterday. As of today, there are now 26 marriage equality states -- with five others in the wings plus Missouri!