SCOTUS to consider whether to decide

As we all know by now, the Supreme Court doesn't grant a hearing to all appeals put before it. They consider them in a conference, and then decide whether to decide. Box Turtle Bulletin:

The Supreme Court has scheduled January 9, 2015, as the date on which to consider whether to hear appeals in five marriage cases. The states from which these cases originate are Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Louisiana.

In Louisiana a federal judge ruled to uphold the anti-gay marriage ban, and the other four are in the Sixth Circuit, where the appeals court overturned federal judges who had ruled for equality.

We will not know until next month whether SCOTUS will hear any marriage appeals, but if they do so, it will only be those which are requesting that marriages be allowed. In other words, the court has not scheduled for hearing any appeals which could reverse a state’s current practice of allowing same-sex marriage.

Since there's a split in the circuits (with the 6th ruling against equality), the Court is likely to step in.

Let's hope we have a happy new year!