Who Is Kim Davis? Supreme Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Challenge from Kentucky Clerk

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to revisit the landmark 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. The decision, announced on November 10, 2025, effectively ends former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis’s years-long legal battle against Obergefell v. Hodges — the case that made marriage equality the law of the land.

Davis, who rose to national fame in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples due to her religious beliefs, had petitioned the high court to overturn the ruling. Her appeal was also aimed at reversing lower court orders requiring her to pay more than $300,000 in damages and legal fees to couples she denied licenses.

Kim Davis and Her Supreme Court Appeal Explained

Kim Davis served as the clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, when the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. Citing her Apostolic Christian faith, she refused to issue marriage licenses to any couples — gay or straight — to avoid personally approving same-sex unions. Her refusal triggered national outrage, legal challenges, and ultimately, a brief stint in jail for contempt of court.

A federal judge ruled that Davis’s actions violated the constitutional rights of couples David Ermold and David Moore, who were denied marriage licenses. The court awarded the pair $100,000 in damages and later required Davis to pay an additional $260,000 in attorneys’ fees and court costs. Davis argued that she acted under her right to religious freedom, but multiple courts rejected that defense, stating that as a public official, she was obligated to uphold the law regardless of personal beliefs.

In 2025, Davis’s legal team filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn both the damages ruling and the Obergefell precedent itself. The justices, however, declined to take the case, leaving intact the nationwide protection for same-sex marriage. The ruling was met with relief from LGBTQ+ advocates and legal scholars who warned that revisiting the issue could have reignited a major civil rights battle.

What the Supreme Court Decision Means for Same-Sex Marriage

The Supreme Court’s rejection of Kim Davis’s petition solidifies Obergefell v. Hodges as settled law. While some conservative justices have expressed interest in revisiting certain precedents — as seen in Justice Clarence Thomas’s 2022 opinion suggesting the Court reconsider rulings on contraception and same-sex relationships — the Court’s refusal in this case signals an unwillingness to reopen the debate on marriage equality.

According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, more than 823,000 same-sex couples are now married in the United States — more than double the number from 2015. Advocates say the Court’s latest action provides reassurance that those marriages remain legally protected and that marriage equality continues to be recognized as a fundamental right.

The Kim Davis case stands as a reminder that personal beliefs cannot override constitutional obligations for public officials. With the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear her appeal, the nation’s decade-long recognition of marriage equality remains firmly in place.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Who is Kim Davis?

Kim Davis is a former county clerk from Rowan County, Kentucky, who gained national attention in 2015 for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Q2: Why did Kim Davis go to jail?

She was jailed for five days in 2015 after a federal judge found her in contempt of court for refusing to comply with orders to issue marriage licenses despite the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Q3: What did the Supreme Court decide in 2025?

On November 10, 2025, the Supreme Court declined to hear Kim Davis’s appeal, leaving intact the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S.

Q4: How much was Kim Davis ordered to pay?

She was ordered to pay $100,000 in damages to a same-sex couple she denied a license, along with more than $260,000 in attorney fees and costs.

Q5: What does this mean for same-sex marriage rights?

The decision ensures that marriage equality remains protected under federal law and reaffirms that public officials must comply with the Constitution regardless of personal or religious beliefs.