Equality Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, Inc. v. City of Cincinnati

Background

Local people asked the Supreme Court to review a challenge to a Cincinnati city charter amendment that forbids the city from giving special protected status or preferences to gay, lesbian, or bisexual people. The Sixth Circuit read the charter as removing municipal protections that had been enacted for gays and lesbians. Those who sought review argued the charter specifically bars protections only for gay, lesbian, and bisexual citizens, creating disagreement about what the amendment actually does.

Reasoning

Justice Stevens, joined by two colleagues, explained that the Court denied the request for review and did not rule on the merits. He said the denial reflects that the case may not be the right forum because there is confusion about how to read the charter under state law. The opinion emphasizes that the Supreme Court normally does not make its own independent interpretation of state-law questions already decided by a court of appeals, so the Justices left the dispute unresolved rather than deciding which side was correct.

Real world impact

Because the Supreme Court refused to review the matter, there is no final national ruling here. The Sixth Circuit’s interpretation remains the operative decision for now, but the Supreme Court did not endorse that reading or settle the underlying dispute. That leaves local protections and legal clarity for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in Cincinnati uncertain until a future court or authoritative state ruling resolves the charter’s meaning.