The Williams Institute

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Windsor v. United States led to federal recognition of married same-sex couples. As a result, married same-sex couples gained additional incentives to marry: official recognition of their marriages by the federal government and some additional benefits and responsibilities of marriage that are rooted in federal law. Analyses of state administrative data suggest that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision likely contributed to a marked increase in the number of same-sex couples marrying.