AP is reporting Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito clarified Friday that he is not calling for the court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that legalized same‑sex marriage nationwide.
Speaking at an academic conference, Alito reiterated his past criticisms of the decision but emphasized: “In commenting on Obergefell, I am not suggesting that the decision in that case should be overruled.”
Alito, who dissented when Obergefell was decided, reiterated his longstanding objections to the majority’s reasoning. Newsweek+2Common Dreams+2 He also noted that in his opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which rolled back federal abortion protections, he explicitly stated that nothing in that ruling was intended to disturb precedents like Obergefell. Newsweek+2AP News+2
His comments arrive while a case from former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis—who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples—seeks Supreme Court review to overturn the marriage equality ruling. AP News+3Them+3Common Dreams+3 The justices are expected to consider whether to take up the case later this fall.
While Alito’s statements may offer some reassurance, legal observers caution that his persistent critiques continue to place Obergefell in the crosshairs.