Wilson v. Ake

Nancy Wilson and Paula Schoenwether (plaintiffs) were legally married in Massachusetts and asked a Florida court clerk, Richard Ake (defendant), to recognize their marriage license; he refused. The plaintiffs sued Ake and the U.S. Attorney General (defendant), arguing the Full Faith and Credit Clause required Florida to recognize the license, that same-sex marriage was a fundamental right, and that the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) should face strict scrutiny. The United States moved to dismiss.

Whether the Full Faith and Credit Clause requires a state to apply another state's law in violation of its own legitimate public policy.