Kim Davis, the former clerk from Kentucky who made headlines in 2015 for refusing to issue a marriage license to a gay couple based on her religious beliefs, is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling that extended equal rights nationwide to same-sex couples.
This appeal marks the first time the Supreme Court has been explicitly asked to overturn a decision that took gay rights from the state level, which could mark a historical reversal in nationwide policies, just like the overruling of Roe v. Wade did for abortion rights.
For centuries, the Supreme Court of the United States has been the center and the heartbeat of the American judicial branch of government. The nine justices who serve on the Supreme Court are expected to be the foremost experts on the Constitution and the existing laws of the land. More importantly, they are expected to interpret and amend legislation without prejudice or regard for their own politics.
Nonetheless, the Court has made a number of decisions that sparked outcry and fury amongst the populace. For better or worse, the Supreme Court makes the decisions that cannot be (or refuse to be) solved on the local or state levels.
Intrigued? Read on to learn about some of the most impactful decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.