A federal judge in Louisiana upheld the state’s ban on same-sex marriages Wednesday, marking the first time a federal court upheld a ban since the Supreme Court struck down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act last year, according to court filings.

U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman ruled the state’s ban passed constitutional muster, rejecting arguments from six same-sex couples who were asking Louisiana to recognize their marriages from other states.

In the 32-page decision, Feldman ruled that Louisiana’s ban does not violate the First Amendment rights of same-sex couples. The couples were suing to overturn the state ban and have their marriages from other states recognized.

Feldman’s decision comes after dozens of state and federal judges have struck down same-sex marriage bans throughout the country, which came after a Supreme Court ruling that the federal definition of marriage between a man and a woman was unconstitutional.

Evan Wolfson, founder and president of the advocacy group Freedom To Marry, told the Los Angeles Times that Feldman’s ruling flies in the face of the more than 40 court decisions that have found similar bans unconstitutional.

“His is the first federal court to get it wrong,” Wolfson said. “He treats what these couples are seeking as some new and different thing rather than the same freedom to marry and the same equal protection under the law that the Constitution guarantees to all of us.”

With several similar cases stuck in the appeals process throughout the country, Wolfson also said the Louisiana ruling was only further evidence that the U.S. Supreme Court needs to take up a same-sex marriage case and give a definitive ruling.

Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes petitioned the Supreme Court to hear a same-sex marriage case earlier this year after his state’s ban was overturned.

“I don’t think anyone should have say but the people getting married. No one should be able to tell someone that they can’t be married,” Amanda Womack, junior art education major, said.

Shelby Hill, freshman toxicology major, said that people will do what they want and love who they want.

“I love who I want to and nobody bothers me about it so why bother someone else. It’s their life. Let them be,” Hill said.

Alyssa Posey, a senior ceramics major, believes everyone deserves to marry the person they love.

“One day Louisiana and all those who oppose marriage equality will be seen just as we see people who oppose racial equality or the women’s suffrage movement today,” Posey said. 

Sarah Reppond said that the government should stop controlling  every aspect of people’s lives.

“I don’t believe the government should be involved. Marriage shouldn’t be a government institution,” Reppond, a junior nursing major, said.

The ruling is expected to be oberuled by the Supreme Court, allowing for same -sex marriage to be considered lawful in the state of Louisiana.