NASHVILLE (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to hear appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay and lesbian marriages has no direct effect on Tennessee, where both the constitution and state law recognize only marriages between one man and one woman.

But three couples who were married in other states before moving to Tennessee have challenged what they call Tennessee's "anti-recognition laws" in federal court. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on the case in August at the same time it heard arguments in same-sex marriage cases out of Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky.

The 6th Circuit could rule any day on those cases. It remains to be seen whether the court will rule only on how out-of-state marriages are treated in Tennessee or go further.