It's been more than six months since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down major provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act, opening up a slew of federal protections for same-sex couples. In that time, courts around the country have followed the major court's ruling that same-sex marriage bans are not protected under the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution.

But as more and more rulings make their way through courts around the country, whether any will impact Alaska is yet to be determined.

Within the last week, court rulings in two states -- New Mexico and Utah -- struck down same-sex marriage bans in their state constitutions.

The ruling in Utah by a federal judge is being seen as a watershed moment in the marriage equality movement due to the political and religious makeup of the state, which in some ways parallels Alaska. Both are politically conservative states with constitutional amendments that specifically limit marriage partners to one man and one woman. Alaskans voted to approve a referendum banning same-sex marriage in 1998.

Jon Davidson, legal director for Lambda Legal, which pursues litigation related to issues of gender identity and sexual orientation, said while the Utah court decision does not have any binding legal precedent for Alaska, it's just part of the changing tide seen across the country.

He said at the beginning of 2012, same-sex marriage was legal in six states. In 2013 it's up to 18, with many of those decisions coming after the DOMA decision in June.

"Even though the issues are different in each of the cases, they do involve some similar legal principles and reflect a change in attitude around the country," Davidson said.

Currently there are 40 lawsuits challenging marriage equality laws in 21 states, Davidson said, but Alaska is not one of them.

That doesn't mean that a case couldn't have ripple effects in Alaska, he said. One case currently working its way through the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sevcik v. Sandoval, is directly challenging Nevada's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Davidson said a court ruling in the 9th Circuit could have ripple effects in the nine states the court has jurisdiction over, including Alaska.

Moving forward, but how?

But whether to move forward or wait it out has some members of the LGBT community taking different paths.

Caitlin Shortell, a lifelong Alaskan and attorney in private practice in Anchorage, said she's interviewed about nine couples interested in pursuing a court case that would directly challenge Alaska's same-sex marriage ban.

It's still tentative and details on how the case will move forward are still being worked out, but Shortell hopes to file in Alaska's federal district court sometime in January.

Shortell has been following other cases around the country closely and has been in contact with the Utah attorney representing the couples in that case.

"I'll be using all the resources I can get my hands on," she said.

Shortell said if the case loses in Alaska, it will move on to the 9th Circuit appeals court, where other cases on marriage equality are already further along in the process.

Phyllis Rhodes, executive director at Identity, Inc. a nonprofit that provides support for the Anchorage LGBT community, said Alaska's small population base and limited LGBT resources are probably better served waiting to see what the other courts decide instead of challenging the ban itself.

"We might as well save ourselves for something else and ride on the coattails of what the lawsuit in Utah has already begun," she said.

Shortell understands that point, but said if private citizens are wanting and willing to pursue litigation, she sees no reason why they shouldn't move forward.

"What I'm hearing as a private attorney is this enormous excitement," she said. "Not just among LGBT in Alaska, but progressives as well, that the time is right to fight for change, and I'm willing to bring that case."

Joshua Decker, interim director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, noted that his organization was closely watching the court cases and looking at "all dimensions," but putting more emphasis on cases less broad in scope that still deal with the abilities of same-sex partners to have equal access to partner benefits.

"We want to see what happens (in the 9th Circuit), but in the meantime continue to make sure that folks are able to live as full citizens, full Alaskans," he said.

Felix Rivera, board member for Alaskans Together for Equality and state Senate candidate, said people are excited over what's happening across the country and that no matter the route, supporters just want the same end goal of marriage equality in Alaska.