The legal march toward same-sex marriage

Following the Feb. 12 announcement from U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn that struck down part of Kentucky’s same-sex marriage ban, plaintiffs Luke Barlowe, front left, his partner, Jim Meade, rear left, Randy Johnson, front right, and his partner, Paul Campion, answer reporters’ questions. The judge ordered that Kentucky recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states and opened the door for the ban to be struck down entirely. (Timothy D. Easley / Associated Press)

Feb. 14, 2014 10:18 AM PT

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A string of court rulings in conservative states have put the future of the country’s remaining bans on same-sex marriage in doubt.

In Louisiana, Nicholas J. Van Sickels, right, his husband, Andrew S. Bond, and their daughter, Jules, 2, await a Feb. 12 news conference in New Orleans. They are among four couples, all married in states where same-sex marriage is legal, who joined the Forum for Equality Louisiana in a suit challenging the state’s ban on recognizing those marriages. (Janet McConnaughey / Associated Press)

In Texas, Mark Phariss, left, clutches the hand of partner Victor Holmes as they stand with Cleopatra De Leon, second from right, and her partner, Nicole Dimetman, as they talk with the media after as they leave the U.S. Federal Courthouse in San Antonio on Feb. 12. The couples are challenging Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage and have taken their case to federal court. (Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Same-sex marriages are banned by law in Indiana. There also has been a drive to pass a constitutional ban on the marriages. Chris Knight, 21, of Young Hoosiers for Marriage, speaks during a news conference on Feb. 11. The recently formed group of about 100 young adults announced it sought to restore to the proposed ban language that would also ban civil unions and potentially bar employers from providing benefits to same-sex couples. House lawmakers had removed the language among concerns it went too far. The ban hit a procedural hurdle in the Senate on Feb. 13 and will not advance to November’s ballot. (Charlie Nye / Associated Press)

In Ohio on Feb. 10, four married same-sex couples filed a federal civil rights lawsuit seeking a court order to force the state to recognize same-sex marriages on birth certificates. Attorney Alphonse Gerhardstein, seated second from right, answers questions during a news conference in Cincinnati. (Al Behrman / Associated Press)

Virginia Atty. Gen. Mark Herring, center, leaves a Norfolk courthouse on Feb. 4 after oral arguments in the case challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Herring concluded that the ban is unconstitutional and will no longer defend it in federal lawsuits. On Feb. 13, a district judge struck down the ban but stayed the decision. The case now heads to the U.S. Court of Appeals. (Jay Paul / Getty Images)

As oral arguments were heard in a challenge to Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage in a U.S. district court, people outside expressed support for continuing the ban. (Jay Paul / Getty Images)

In Salt Lake City, people gather at Utah’s Capitol to show support for one-man/one-woman marriages. In December, a federal judge ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriages to be unconstitutional. Same-sex marriages commenced but were stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 6 as the case pends before the U.S. Court of Appeals. (George Frey / Getty Images)

The Reeder family attends a rally at the Utah state Capitol supporting the state’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. (George Frey / Getty Images)

A protester is removed for disrupting a rally held by opponents of same-sex marriage at the Utah Capitol on Jan. 28. Opponents and supporters of gay marriage held twin rallies that evening. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)