A federal appeals court has cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin next week in Alabama. Earlier today, a three-judge panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit court of appeals denied Alabama Attorney general Luther Strange’s request for a stay on a district judge’s decision striking down Alabama’s bans on gay marriage.
But Strange has made a last attempt to keep the decision on hold — Today he filed a motion asking the U.S. Supreme court to stay the federal court’s decision until the Supreme Court finally rules on the issue in June.
Alabama’s seen political debate, along with a few stays, motions and rulings, ever since U.S. District Judge Callie Granade struck down Alabama’s ban on same-sex marriage last month. Here to help us sort through what the courts are up to is Henry Strickland, dean of the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He says it’s unlikely the U.S. Supreme Court would honor Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange’s request for a stay.