How did the Supreme Court rule in Loving v. Virginia regarding marriage laws?

In Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled that bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional. This landmark decision was based on the foundation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. The Court concluded that Virginia's law prohibiting interracial marriage violated the Equal Protection Clause, as it discriminated on the basis of race and denied individuals the fundamental right to marry.

The ruling emphasized that marriage is a basic civil right, and the state could not impose restrictions based on racial classifications. This decision not only invalidated Virginia's law but also set a significant precedent for the protection of individual rights concerning marriage across the United States, ensuring that personal liberties cannot be infringed upon by discriminatory laws.