Supreme Court Declines Gay Marriage Appeals

The United States Supreme Court kicked off its new term this morning, and in a move that's surprising many court-watchers it refused to hear appeals from five states looking to ban same-sex marriage. The move clears the way for gay marriage to begin in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin, notes the AP, and ripple-down effects in six other states mean that it will now be legal in 30 states and the District of Columbia. In declining to weigh in on the issue, the Supreme Court leaves in place an inconsistent, patchwork approach to gay marriage nationwide, but CNN notes that, with other cases percolating up through the legal system, the refusal is likely only temporary. Only four justices must assent in order to get a case on the court's docket, adds the AP; the justices declined the issue without comment. (More US Supreme Court stories.)