decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Windsor . Since Windsor finds the same Section 3 unconstitutional, the appeal is ultimately ordered dismissed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Garden State Equality v. Dow (2011–2013), New Jersey's civil unions violate due process guarantees; denying same-sex marriage ruled unconstitutional in state superior court. The N.J. Supreme Court refuses to stay the ruling; and ultimately the state defendants drop their appeal. State v. Schmidt , Opinion No. 6898 (Alaska, April 25, 2014), The Supreme Court of Alaska finds that same-sex couples, defined as "two people of the same biological sex who are in a long-term, committed, intimate domestic partnership, and who", but if for Alaska law, "would marry if they could" are entitled to the full benefit of the state's tax exemption programs. [ 283 ] Geiger v. Kitzhaber (2013–2014), and Rummell and West v. Kitzhaber (2013–2014), Oregon same-sex marriage cases, consolidated and ruled on by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon . The court heard oral argument on motions for summary judgment in both on April 23, 2014. The court held oral arguments on May 14, 2014, where an organization that opposes same-sex marriage was denied to intervene in the case. [ 284 ] On May 19, 2014, Judge Michael J. McShane struck down the same-sex marriage ban, and ordered the issuance of marriages licenses to begin immediately. [ 285 ] Whitewood v. Wolf (2013–2014), Pennsylvania same-sex marriage case originally set for trial in U.S. District