Six New Lawsuits in the Last Week Could Complicate Legal Landscape for Marriage Equality (VIDEO)

This past week might have set a record for the number of marriage-equality lawsuits filed in such a short span of time.
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This past week might have set a record for the number of marriage-equality lawsuits filed in such a short span of time.

Florida, South Carolina, Arizona and Indiana all have new litigation as of the last few days. In fact, Indiana has three separate new lawsuits.

These new cases add to an already complex ecosystem of litigation around the country, but they're unlikely to make it to the Supreme Court. Several states -- notably Utah, Oklahoma and Virginia -- have older cases that have already advanced much further.

In particular, AFER's Virginia case is moving very quickly. Last week a court approved an expedited schedule for an appeal, which means that parties will file briefs in March and April, with a hearing in May. If the court continues its rapid pace, we'll likely see a decision in time for AFER to head to the U.S. Supreme Court again in its next session.

And they may be joined by Utah and Oklahoma plaintiffs. Nevada could also send a case to SCOTUS, depending on scheduling there. The legal landscape looks to be getting ever more complicated until the Supreme Court is finally ready to issue a definitive ruling.

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