A three-judge panel with the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that Puerto Rico’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

The ruling comes less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court released their groundbreaking decision to extended equal-marriage rights to same-sex couples throughout the U.S.

As reported by the Washington Blade, in 2014, Ada Conde Vidal and Ivonne Álvarez Vélez of Puerto Rico's capital city San Juan filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in order to force the commonwealth into recognizing their Massachusetts marriage. Four additional same-sex couples, as well as the LGBT advocacy group Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, got on board with the case several months later.

Although U.S. District Judge Juan Pérez-Giménez initially dismissed the case, the plaintiffs went on to appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Puerto Rico within its jurisdiction.

Earlier this year Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla announced that his administration would no longer defend his land's ban on same-sex marriage.

“Our constitutional system does not allow discriminatory distinctions such as that contained in the Civil Code concerning the rights of same-sex couples,” said Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla in a statement reported by Time.

“Everyone knows my religious beliefs, but it is not for political leaders to impose our beliefs,” said Padilla, adding that, “We must push for progress in civil and human rights for all citizens equally. As Governor of Puerto Rico, that’s my duty.”

Puerto Rican entertainer and gay rights advocate Ricky Martin, took to Twitter to call Padilla a “leader who is not afraid of the present challenges.”

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico can look forward to same-sex marriages beginning as soon as July 15.