RALEIGH -- The Supreme Court may be settling the debate over the definition of marriage sooner rather than later. The new sense of urgency comes after the 6th circuit court of appeals ruled in favor of same-sex marriage bans, following a string of rulings calling the bans unconstitutional. Chris Brook, Legal Director of the ACLU of North Carolina, says the ruling isn't surprising.

Brook says, "This is an oral argument that we listened to and thought that such a decision might be forthcoming. The 6th circuit is a very conservative circuit."

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court refused to hear any cases from those appealing decisions that struck down same-sex marriage bans. Brook added that the high court is now more likely to rule because of a split at the federal appeal court level.