No. 19-926October Term 2019Decided Oct 5, 2020
Davis v. Ermold
This case arises from former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis’s refusal, for a period after Obergefell v.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Oct 5, 2020
- What it's about
This case arises from former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis’s refusal, for a period after Obergefell v. Hodges, to issue marriage licenses bearing her name because of her religious objection to same-sex marriage. The petition argues that the Sixth Circuit used the wrong constitutional standard for the couple’s right-to-marry claim and wrongly denied Davis qualified immunity.
Question presented
Whether, after this Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), it was clearly established that a state official could not refuse to issue marriage licenses to legally eligible couples solely because she disapproved of same-sex marriage.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit / Decision released Oct 5, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided October 5, 2020
The Court released its decision on October 5, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 2, 2026
- Method
- Methodology