The US Supreme Court has declined to hear a case that could have threatened same-sex marriage rights across the country.

The nation’s top court announced on Monday (10 November) its decision to reject a legal petition brought by former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis earlier this year.

Davis petitioned Supreme Court justices in July to overturn a lower court decision on Ermold v. Davis after the appeals court held she could be liable for refusing to issue licences to same-sex couples.

The former Rowan County clerk was sued in 2015 after deliberately defying a court order brought in the aftermath of Obergefell v Hodges by refusing to issue a marriage license to gay couple David Moore and David Ermold under her personal religious beliefs.

Justices came together to consider whether to hear the case last week during a private meeting on Friday (7 November).

Their decision means the Court of Appeals ruling, which stipulates that Davis acted unlawfully by refusing marriage certificates to same-sex couples, still stands, and Davis remains liable for refusing to abide by the order.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Kelley Robinson hailed the outcome, saying that “today, love won again.”

“The Supreme Court made clear today that refusing to respect the constitutional rights of others does not come without consequences,” Robinson continued.

Research shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans still support same-sex marriage, according to a study published earlier this month.

A survey of US adults found that 65.8 per cent support same-sex couples’ right to marry, while 36.2 per cent saying they ‘strongly’ support that right.

Robinson said it is “no secret” that anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is on the rise in the US, which she said stands in stark contrast to the majority of Americans.

“We will never relent and will not stop fighting until all of us are free.”

The post US Supreme Court rejects bid to overturn same-sex marriage appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.