The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to take up the same-sex marriage issue in a series of cases from the 6^th Circuit, opening the door to possible settlement of the issue for all 50 states. You can read the high court’s order here. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden are appealing Idaho’s gay marriage case to the U.S. Supreme Court as well, but they just filed their petitions two weeks ago; that means the Idaho case isn’t yet up for consideration by the high court, which still needs additional briefing before it could consider Idaho’s petition.

Otter filed a "friend of the court" brief in the 6th Circuit case asking the court wait to take that case up until it can consider Idaho’s case along with it. On Thursday, his office attorney, Tom Perry, said if the high court just takes up the 6th Circuit case, Idaho likely will be filing friend-of-the-court arguments in that case. And the high court could decide the matter for all circuits after hearing the 6th Circuit case.

Todd Dvorak, spokesman for Wasden, said, “They haven’t taken up our case yet, and there’s no guarantee that they will.” But Wasden said today’s high court ruling is the beginning of the court making a final decision on the marriage question.

Deborah Ferguson, attorney for the four Idaho couples who successfully sued to overturn Idaho’s ban on gay marriage, said her side “will urge the court to decline review” and let their win become final. The 9^th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals already has rejected the state’s appeal.  “Our case will go forward and will be considered by the Court at a later conference, probably in February,” Ferguson said.

The high court, when it considers Idaho’s petition, will have the option of taking the case and hearing arguments; declining the case and letting the 9^th Circuit’s decision stand; or holding the case until the other cases are decided. You can read a full report here at spokesman.com.