0 1 5 , ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁became ▁legal ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁r uling ▁of ▁Ober gef ell ▁v . ▁H od ges . ▁ ▁Rosen bra hn ▁v . ▁D aug a ard ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁six ▁same - sex ▁cou ples ▁file d ▁a ▁federal ▁law suit ▁against ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁officials ▁seeking ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁marry ▁and ▁recognition ▁of ▁mar ri ages ▁performed ▁in ▁other ▁juris dict ions . ▁The ▁suit , ▁Rosen bra hn ▁v . ▁D aug a ard , ▁was ▁brought ▁by ▁Min ne apolis ▁civil ▁rights ▁att orney ▁Josh ua ▁A . ▁New ville , ▁who ▁had ▁file d ▁a ▁similar ▁law suit ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁seven ▁same - sex ▁cou ples ▁in ▁North ▁Dak ota ▁on ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁U . S . ▁District ▁Court ▁Judge ▁Kar en ▁Sch re ier ▁heard ▁arguments ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 7 . ▁The ▁state ▁defend ants ▁argued ▁she ▁was ▁bound ▁by ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Circ uit ' s ▁decision ▁in ▁Cit iz ens ▁for ▁Equ al ▁Prote ction ▁v . ▁Brun ing ▁( 2 0 0 6 ), ▁which ▁the ▁pla int iffs ▁said ▁did ▁not ▁address ▁the ▁questions ▁they ▁were ▁raising ▁in ▁this ▁case . ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁Judge ▁Sch re ier ▁denied ▁the ▁defense ' s ▁motion ▁to ▁dismiss .