The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky issued a statement saying that U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II died Wednesday at home after battling cancer for several years.
Last year, Heyburn struck down Kentucky's ban on gay marriage and on recognizing same-sex marriages from outside the state. The rulings were reversed on appeal, but the Supreme Court heard arguments on them Tuesday.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement saying Heyburn had delivered opinions in complex cases over more than two decades on the bench but would also be remembered for his devotion to his family.
