I knew this could happen, but it still comes as a surprise. The Supreme Court today refused to hear appeals on five same-sex marriage rulings, effectively making same-sex marriage legal in five more states -- Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Apparently this court has decided that it will let its DOMA ruling stand for gay marriage, unless it is forced to do otherwise. And as long as appeals courts keep ruling in our favor, it won't be forced to.
There is a key case to watch in the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. That court is hearing conflicting rulings in Louisiana (against same-sex marriage) and Texas (for ssm). If that court were to rule in favor of Louisiana, that might well force the Supremes' hand, as then there would be a conflict of appeals courts rulings that would need to be settled. If the 5th Circuit rules in favor of the Texas case, then it's possible that gay marriage could become the law of the land without the high court ruling on it directly (thought the DOMA ruling certainly points strongly in that direction).
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/politics/scotus-sam … ?hpt=hp_t2
The other 5 states -- N. Carolina, S. Carolina, W. Virginia, Wyoming and Kansas -- affected by yesterday's Supreme Court inaction are in legal limbo right now. The expectation is that they will have to issue licenses, but cases from them may have to get to their Circuit Court before they are ordered to do so. S. Carolina's AG vows to fight, but he doesn't have many options, to be honest.