The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has declined to reconsider a ruling that struck down Proposition 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Tuesday’s action means that the next step for supporters of Proposition 8 is to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The appeals court said that a majority of its actively serving judges voted not to revisit the 2-1 decision by a three-judge panel of the court in February declaring the voter-approved measure unconstitutional.

Sponsors of Proposition 8 have said that they’ll file an immediate appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and ask the high court to reinstate the ban on same-sex marriage.

Photo Credit: NickGorton, via Wikimedia Commons

• Tag: 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Appeal, Proposition 8, same-sex marriage, Supreme Court