Sevcik v. Sandoval

Sevcik v. Sandoval is the lead case that successfully challenged and repealed Nevada's denial of same-sex marriage, as mandated by the state's constitution and statutory law. The case was filed on behalf of eight same-sex couples who either were denied marriage licenses in Nevada or sought recognition of lawful out-of-state marriages, challenging Nevada's statutory and constitutional marriage ban for violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s decision and directed entry of judgment for the plaintiffs, effectively ending enforcement of Nevada’s same-sex marriage ban. The plaintiffs' complaint was initially filed on April 10, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada on behalf of several couples that were denied marriage licenses. These couples challenged the denial, arguing that it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

On November 26, 2012, Chief District Judge Robert Jones ruled against the plaintiff same-sex couples, granting in part a motion to dismiss the complaint against the Nevada government officials named in it. The plaintiffs appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on December 3, 2012.

Oral arguments in Sevcik and two related cases—Jackson v. Abercrombie and Latta v. Otter—were heard in the Ninth Circuit on September 8, 2014. On October 7, the panel reversed the lower court's ruling in Sevcik, remanding the case to the district court with direction to enter a judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, therefore effectively legalizing same-sex marriage in Nevada. After at least one judge on the Court of Appeals asked for a vote on the defendants' petition to have the case reheard by a larger, 11-judge panel. A majority of judges on the Ninth Circuit did not agree, thus making the ruling final on January 9, 2015.