After the Supreme Court ruling in 2015 striking down bans on same-sex marriage across the United States, David Ermold and David Moore, a same-sex couple from Morehead and alumni of Morehead State University, released video footage of the Rowan County Clerk, Kim Davis, refusing to issue them a marriage license under "God's Authority." The video went viral overnight, and it caused an international outrage against the actions of the county clerk. Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to all couples, opposite-sex or same-sex, in the belief that it would not be considered discrimination under Kentucky and United States law. In total, six couples, four represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and two couples with separate legal representation, sued Davis in her official capacity as county clerk.
