on what was officially still the legislative day of September 21, the Senate confirmed Shelby in a voice vote. He received his commission on September 25, 2012. He became chief judge on October 1, 2018. Notable decisions On December 20, 2013, Shelby struck down Amendment 3 of Utah’s State Constitution, which defined marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman, opening the way for same-sex marriage in the state. He found that Amendment 3 was in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which guarantees due process and equal protection. This highly significant ruling set off a series of other district court decisions that overturned bans in several other states. His ruling was affirmed by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on June 25, 2014. On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined the review the Tenth Circuit's ruling, legalizing same-sex marriage in Utah. References External links 1970 births Living people 21st-century American judges Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Utah People from Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin United States district court judges appointed by Barack Obama University of Utah faculty University of Virginia School of Law alumni Utah lawyers Utah Republicans Utah State University alumni