WASHINGTON -- North Carolina's prohibition on same-sex marriages appears to be on its last leg after the Supreme Court's order turning away appeals from five states seeking to prohibit same-sex marriage. This triggered a series of moves in affected states to clear the way for gay and lesbian unions. Neil Siegel, Professor of Law and Political Science at Duke University, says there are still cases pending in other federal courts.

Siegel said, "We'll have to see what happens next, I have my eye on litigation in the 6th Circuit. Which, we'll have to see whether the 6th Circuit joins the current consensus that state bans are unconstitutional, or whether they resist it and uphold the state ban."

Siegel added if a federal court upholds a state's ban, that would place more pressure on the Supreme Court to hear the case.