Federal Court Orders Alabama Probate Judges To Allow Marriage Equality Statewide

[Cryptoad]

May 21, 2015

MOBILE, Ala. – A federal district court today ordered that all Alabama probate judges must comply with the U.S. Constitution and may not refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples after four leading civil rights organizations requested the court expand a lawsuit to cover all same-sex couples and probate judges statewide. The district court’s order will take effect when the United States Supreme Court issues its decision in several pending cases seeking the freedom to marry in four states. The Supreme Court marriage cases were argued in April, and a ruling is expected by the end of June.

U.S. District Judge Callie V. S. Granade’s ruling applies to all probate judges in Alabama’s 67 counties. The state’s probate judges are responsible for issuing marriage licenses. The ruling expands the court’s order earlier this year requiring the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in Mobile County.

Today’s order by the federal district court makes clear that probate judges are obligated to obey the United States Constitution and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples regardless of a ruling issued earlier this year by the Alabama Supreme Court, which stated that county probate judges could not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Licenses must be issued in Alabama as soon as the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the marriage cases now pending before it.

"This is a victory for the LGBT community of Alabama," said Susan Watson, executive director for the ACLU of Alabama. "We applaud the court for its ruling that puts an end to the chaos created by the Alabama Supreme Court. Today love is triumphant."

https://au.org/media/press-releases/federal-court-orders-alabama-probate-judges-to-allow-marriage-equality

[bluestateguy]

1. George W. Bush appointed judge, btw

Now the counties need to STFU and comply.

Otherwise, it would be unfortunate if Alabama was denied federal disaster money the next time a hurricane or tornado strikes.

Oh, and that space center in Huntsville can quite easily be moved to Florida, which is a swing state.

[yallerdawg]

2. "I'll see you, and raise you..."

Still rumbling around in Alabama legislature before today:

"The purpose of Senate Bill 377 is to bring order out of chaos," bill sponsor, Sen. Greg Albritton said, alluding to confusion surrounding same-sex marriage when it was temporarily legalized in Alabama in February.

The Republican senator from Albritton said the bill will take the state out of sanctifying marriages, and the probate's office wouldn't issue a marriage license. The legislation wouldn't even require a couple to have a wedding.

"The sanctity of marriage cannot be sanctified by government of men," Albritton said. "That is where we have gotten ourselves in trouble."

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/alabama_marriage_contract_bill.html

[hifiguy]

3. What a maroon.

States don't "sanctify" marriages. Judges have been performing civil marriage ceremonies for as long as there have been judges.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Yeah, but he did inadvertently say ALL marriages were sacrosanct..

Because, with the generally assumed legality of gay marriage, it falls under his definition of marriage.
So it is ..."sanct"

Alabama is moving to civil registration as a legal marriage, which is how it is done in some other countries.
I have no problem with that.