▁of ▁his ▁decision ▁was ▁stayed ▁pending ▁appeal ▁by ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Circ uit ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Mississippi ' s ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁ban ▁was ▁struck ▁down ▁by ▁the ▁Ober gef ell ▁v . ▁H od ges ▁decision . ▁ ▁Un like ▁other ▁Southern ▁states , ▁enfor cement ▁of ▁the ▁Ober gef ell ▁decision ▁happened ▁almost ▁immediately ▁and ▁without ▁major ▁incident , ▁with ▁county ▁cler ks ▁in ▁several ▁count ies ▁beginning ▁to ▁offer ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁lic enses ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁handed ▁down . ▁ ▁Same - sex ▁cou ples ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁joint ly ▁adopt ▁children ▁until ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁but ▁Mississippi ▁has ▁always ▁permitted ▁ad option ▁by ▁an ▁um ar ried ▁adult ▁without ▁regard ▁to ▁sexual ▁orientation . ▁ ▁Governor ▁Phil ▁Bry ant ▁signed ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁" rel ig ious ▁freedom " ▁law ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁law ▁was ▁struck ▁down , ▁once ▁again ▁by ▁judge ▁Carl ton ▁Re e ves , ▁in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁the ▁Equ al ▁Prote ction ▁Cla use ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Constitution ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Att orney ▁General ▁Jim ▁H ood ▁issued ▁a ▁statement ▁indicating ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁purs ue ▁to ▁appeal ▁the ▁decision . ▁ ▁In ▁regard ▁to ▁other ▁topics , ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁said ▁that ▁Mississippi ▁has ▁at ▁times ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁more ▁innov ative ▁states ▁in ▁the