Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Two men were arrested in Texas for engaging in consensual same-sex intimacy under a state sodomy law. The Supreme Court struck down the law, holding that it violated the liberty and privacy rights protected by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Court explicitly overturned Bowers v. Hardwick (1986).

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
James Obergefell and other same-sex couples challenged state bans on same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that the 14th Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses guarantee the fundamental right to marry for same-sex couples.

3) Why It Mattered
The decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, making marriage equality the law of the land.

303 Creative LLC v. Elenis (2023)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the Supreme Court opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Lorie Smith, owner of 303 Creative, a web design company, wanted to expand into wedding websites but objected to creating designs for same-sex marriages, citing religious beliefs. Colorado’s anti-discrimination law prohibited businesses from denying services based on sexual orientation. The Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that forcing Smith to create such websites would violate the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause by compelling her to express a message she disagreed with.