Case Summary
**Case Summary: Perry v. Hollingsworth, Docket No. 7846654**
**Court:** Supreme Court of the United States
**Argued:** March 5, 2013
**Decided:** June 26, 2013
**Overview:**
Perry v. Hollingsworth is a landmark case concerning the legality of Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage. The case arose after the passage of Proposition 8 and subsequent legal challenges against it.
**Background:**
In 2008, California voters approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Following its passage, several same-sex couples, led by plaintiffs Kristin Perry and Sandy Stier, challenged the constitutionality of Proposition 8, arguing that it violated the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The defendants in the case, Dennis Hollingsworth and other proponents of Proposition 8, were initially named, challenging the plaintiffs’ standing to sue because the California officials responsible for enforcing the law declined to do so.
**Legal Questions:**
1. Did the proponents of Proposition 8 have standing to appeal the lower court's decision, which had found the law unconstitutional?
2. Is Proposition 8 constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
**Lower Court Rulings:**
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed this ruling, leading to the case being taken up by the Supreme Court.
**Supreme Court Decision:**
The Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling, determining that the proponents of Proposition 8 did not have standing to appeal the decision of the lower court. As a result, the ruling of the Ninth Circuit was upheld, effectively invalidating Proposition 8 and allowing same-sex marriages to resume in California.
**Significance:**
The ruling was significant as it not only paved the way for same-sex marriage in California but also set a precedent regarding the standing of private parties to defend laws that state officials refuse to enforce. While the decision did not provide a constitutional ruling on same-sex marriage nationwide, it was a critical step in the broader movement for marriage equality in the United States.
**Conclusion:**
Perry v. Hollingsworth underscored the evolving legal landscape around same-sex marriage and highlighted the importance of legal standing in constitutional challenges. The case contributed to subsequent rulings by the Supreme Court that further advanced the recognition of marriage equality across the nation.