Obergefell v. Hodges is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage in the United States. The case originated from a series of lawsuits filed by same-sex couples from several states who were seeking the right to marry or to have their out-of-state marriages recognized. The case reached the Supreme Court after various lower courts issued conflicting rulings on the constitutionality of state bans on same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court agreed to hear four consolidated cases: Obergefell v. Hodges, Tanco v. Haslam, DeBoer v. Snyder, and Bourke v. Beshear. On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. The ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, making it legal and recognized in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The Obergefell ruling granted same-sex couples the same legal recognition and protections as opposite-sex couples, including benefits related to taxation, inheritance, healthcare, and adoption, among others. But, while the Obergefell ruling legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, efforts are ongoing to secure and protect LGBTQ+ rights in areas such as employment non-discrimination, transgender rights, and healthcare, among others. #Queer Up Courts