On Thursday, much to the disappointment of millions of supporters, the New Jersey state Senate turned down, via voting, a bill to legalize gay marriages across the state, and while the development put an end to a major legislative battle, it did set off a new court fight.

The bill was defeated 20-14, and minutes after the results were announced, gay rights advocates shared that they would now file a lawsuit seeking to get the state's top court to order New Jersey to recognize and honor same-sex marriages.

In 2006, the Supreme Court had issued a ruling which ordered the state to provide all benefits of marriage to committed gay couples, in response; the Legislature legalized civil unions for gay couples.

Currently, only 5 US states of Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont legally recognize gay marriages.

"We should not be telling one couple you can be married and another couple you can be civil unionized. We are better than that. History is watching us now. She is asking us whether we'll side with equality and right -- or for discrimination", said Sen. Bill Baroni of Hamilton, while opposing the decision.