The Supreme Court on Tuesday began oral arguments in a landmark case regarding same-sex marriage bans in Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
The case is widely seen as the final barrier to marriage equality in the United States.
More than 30 states permit same-sex couples to marry, but those marriage certificates may not be recognized in states where gay marriage is banned. As a consequence, those couples are often not entitled to the same rights as straight couples, including the ability to jointly adopt children and be recognized as surviving spouses on death certificates.
The cases before the Supreme Court collectively have more than two dozen plaintiffs. These are their stories.
Note: Plaintiffs David Michener and Robert Grunn are not pictured in this gallery.
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